Hope Breeds
by PLLHalebSpoby
Summary: Set in season 4. Vengeance is an ugly, sad word full of many meanings, some maybe not as clear. When A exacts revenge on someone close to the Liars, it brings a cataclysm of events that no one anticipates.
1. Chapter 1

**Hope Breeds **

_"...In a press conference earlier this evening, Rosewood Chief of Police, Mark Lallas did not offer a possible motive for the fire at Thornhill Lodge Thursday night. Instead, he revealed the object believed to have been responsible for causing the inferno: A lighter with a directional map on it, believed to belong to the person or persons responsible. _

_"This is a terrible act of arson that will not be ignored, and we are asking anyone with information on this terrible act, to come foreword immediately." _

_Asked for updates on the search for any potential suspect, Chief Lallas said that the department was still in the process of testing the lighter for identifying finger prints or other DNA for evidence. _

_Reporting live, Andrea Wallson for News Channel 3._

Spencer reached for the remote control and switched off the TV. It had been the same story for the past several days since the inferno. The police were no closer to pinpointing a suspect, and the girls were no closer to reaching a resolution, and more importantly an _agreement _on who Red Coat was.

She, Mona and Hanna had all seen Alison alive and in the flesh, and more importantly, assuming the role of the omnipresent person that had been responsible for tormenting them for the past two years.

The other girls on the other hand, had not seen the same thing that the others had seen, and to Spencer's extreme irritation, were more skeptical of what she was trying to convince them of.

"Hey," Emily said, breaking Spencer out of her thoughts as she settled herself in her bedroom. "What are you doing?"

"Uh, nothing. Just listening to some news reports on the fire."

"Oh." Emily glanced at the blank television screen before settling herself on Spencer's bed. "I talked to Hanna this morning."

"And?"

Emily sighed, wiping a strand of hair behind her ear as she nursed her bottom lip. "_And_, she still thinks that Ali pulled us out of the fire."

Spencer shrugged, figuring it was too late to be opening _that _can of worms again. "Is she hanging out with Mona still?"

"She seems to be."

"I know that you still think that Ali pulled you guys out of the fire," Emily began hesitantly. "But you have to remember, I've had that happen to me before, too."

Spencer sighed as she neatly folded her shirts and hung them back up in her closet. "I know, Em, but I actually _saw _her out in those woods. It wasn't like she was a hallucination, she was _real_."

"You _believed _she was real," Emily argued, lounging on Spencer's love seat as she followed her friend's movements. "But I've had moments where I've seen her before-"

"But the thing is," Spencer said, coming to stand in front of her friend. "I've _seen _her before this."

Emily's eyebrows sewed together in frustration. "What do you mean you "saw" her before?"

"Right after Maya moved into Ali's old house, I could have sworn I saw Ali in her window. Remember, she and I used to send messages to each other through our windows, and then I see someone that's either her _or _looks like her?"

Emily, for once, didn't comment as the two friends sat in quiet reflection on the issue at hand. So much had happened in such a short amount of time, that it was a miracle that either of them were still sane.

"So do you have any plans tonight?" Emily asked, finally breaking the silence that would have been awkward between anyone else, but with them, was natural.

"Yeah, uh, Toby's going to come over tonight. My parents are with Melissa in London, so it's perfect timing."

Emily smiled. "That's really great, Spence. So you two have been reconnecting?"

Spencer nodded. "It was like he never left, really. I know why he did what he did, and that's the most important thing."

"I agree."

With the lights dimmed, the air conditioning on full blast, and a mountain-worthy amount of snacks between them, Spencer and Toby were quite literally in their own perfect world, as they reveled in the unheard of privacy, and the fact that they could enjoy themselves for a change.

"I feel like I can breathe," Spencer said quietly, as she placed another chip in her mouth, the taste of it all but dead to her now. "You know, without the all craziness and stress."

Beside her, Toby nodded. "I know. The last few months, it's been one thing after another."

"Well, at least with my parents in London, we have the house to ourselves, and we can finally just relax." The word "relax" had become such a foreign word to her, she wasn't sure she even knew what it meant anymore.

"I like that."

Spencer nodded. "Me, too. The cops did a news conference earlier today."

"Oh, yeah? What did they say?"

Spencer shrugged one shoulder as she flipped off the bed and began pacing the room. "They said that they found some lighter that was used to create the blaze-"

"What did it look like?" Toby interjected. "Did it say anything about a design on it?"

Spencer paused in her tracks, momentarily forgetting anything else as she studied her boyfriend. "Yeah, actually. They talked about a directional design on it, something like a compass."

Toby's face shifted and turned to a ghostly white, as he buried his head in his hands with a groan. "Spence..." he murmured. "That lighter-"

"What?" She asked, her face morphing to one of confusion as she regarded her boyfriend. "Toby, what is it?"

"When I got knocked out and when I woke up-"

"Yes?"

"That lighter, it was in my hand."

* * *

**This story, "Hope Breeds" is also co-written with me by the lovely LynnLayne18. The updates *fingers crossed* will hopefully be close together, but not entirely sure, either!**


	2. Chapter 2

"What do you mean the lighter was _in _your hand?" Spencer demanded incredulously, momentarily forgetting how to properly breathe as she paced the length of her bedroom, as she turned to stare at her stricken boyfriend.

"I mean when I woke up, the lighter was _in_ my hand."

It was bad, and she didn't need to have attorney's for parents to tell her that, either. Toby's finger prints would be all over the lighter, instantly connecting him to the arson that had occurred at the lodge.

"Maybe-maybe the cops won't look at you," Spencer said, trying to inject as much hope into her sentence as she could, not just for his benefit but for hers, too.

"Come on, Spence," Toby said. "Where else are they going to look? All they have to do is test the lighter for my finger prints and they have it."

Spencer shook her head in disbelief at their misfortune and bad luck. They had narrowly escaped one nightmare, just to landslide right into another.

"Emily's mom works at the police department, okay? I can have her talk to her, see if she knows anything about the case, if there even _is _one."

Toby nodded wordlessly, even thought she could tell from the way he sat, with his shoulders hunched and his hands clasped in front of him, that he was feeling hopeless.

"Do you know how long you get for an arson charge?"

Spencer shook her head, taking a seat on his lap as she wound her arms around his neck, burying her head in the hallow of his neck, as she breathed deeply, trying to induce some kind of relaxation, even if it was a forced one.

"Up to ten years."

Spencer shook her head, looking up as she cupped his face in her palm, as she stared into the depths of his sea-blue eyes. "No, no, you won't, Toby. There are circumstances, there's more to it than just that."

"I don't know, Spence. It's not like I'm a first time offender, at least in the eyes of the law. It might be worst for me, especially if they bring up my past history with fires."

"Oh, Toby," she whispered, determinedly batting away the tears she could feel behind her eyelids. It was yet another reminder of the prank that each of them wished that they could take back.

"Spence, it's okay," he vowed, locking his gaze with hers as he wrapped an arm around her. "This is all a setup, if that's where the cops are going with this."

"Yeah," Spencer said with a scoff. "An _A _setup. Who knows how far they'll be willing to go at this point."

"Especially if they know that I was never with them, that I was fooling them the entire time I was on their team."

Spencer nodded slowly, she didn't want to think about it. It was terrifying enough to think about the things that A had done to her and her friends, but it was horrifying to imagine the wrath they could unleash on people that had betrayed them.

* * *

Emily usually hated walking into the Rosewood Police Department. The place stirred up memories that she would much rather keep buried, and besides that, the place was a constant reminder of Wilden and how his death was still very much a reality, and a pressing issue.

"Emily?"

"Mom. Hi," Emily said, spinning around at the unexpected sound of her mother's voice behind her. "I'm sorry to just drop by-"

"What are you doing here?"

Emily sighed, sucking in a deep breath before forging ahead with her conversation. "I just wanted to know where the police were with their investigation in the lodge fire."

"Oh, honey, that's not something that I'm really allowed to discuss with you."

"But _do _they have a suspect?" Emily pressed, refusing to let the matter drop, not until she had a solid answer to go on and report back to Spencer.

"Yes."

"Who?"

"They don't tell me those things. I know that from the conversations they have around me, but they don't ever talk about those things out in the open."

_Great_, Emily thought, as she slid a piece of hair behind her ear. It was disappointing, but not entirely surprising, either. "Okay, thank you."

"Is there anything else, honey? Do you want to grab some dinner? My shift is almost over."

"Oh, um. I promised Spencer that I would meet her later for dinner."

Pam smiled gently as she reached out a hand to touch her daughter's arm. "Okay, I'll see you at home"

"Okay."

Emily waited, dawdling by the door until her mother had resumed her duties in her tiny cubicle, before making a swift run toward the back of the department, where the offices and file offices were, the office that housed all the documents related to current events, and current investigations.

Dashing behind a door to outwait a gossiping group of detectives, she waited until they had vacated the area, before making a dash into the darkened room. It was hard navigating the room while it was dark, but she didn't want to risk her anonymity.

Carefully sifting through the files in the outdated file drawer, she finally managed to spot the file pertaining to the fire at the lodge. Opening the file, and carefully sorting through the hundred or so pages related to it, she eventually managed to arrive on the page that exposed the forensics part of the investigation.

"Finger prints found on the object a one hundred percent match to suspect, Toby Allen Cavanaugh," Emily read, feeling her heart drop like a stone into her stomach.

The rest of the document detailed Toby's arrest for the fire in his garage, and and also his suspicion and subsequent exoneration for murder.

Getting out was far easier than getting in. The main office surrounding the smaller offices, was more vacant, much easier for slipping out with the file stuffed under her armpit for Spencer's investigation.

* * *

"Coffee?"

Spencer asked, pouring a liberal amount into her own coffee cup as she held the pot out for Toby to take.

"Did you make this?"

"Yes. Why?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No reason." He smiled before pouring a small amount into his cup, wincing as he took a tiny sip of the sugared liquid.

"So I talked to Emily," Spencer began hesitantly, her eyes downcast as she shifted to the one topic she would give almost anything to _not _discuss.

"About what?"

"She broke into a detective's office at the police department. She found the file that they made about the lodge fire."

"And?"

"They DNA tested the lighter, and there's an almost one hundred percent finger print match to yours, they also apparently referenced the fire in your garage."

Toby nodded, his face turning a ghostly white as he palmed his face, shaking his head in disbelief. "I knew it, Spence."

Even though her heart was breaking, seeing her usually unbreakable boyfriend, so distraught, she knew she had to push her own feelings down until she could safely deal with them later.

"Toby, listen to me," she said, standing in front of his line of vision. "This case they have, we don't know how strong it is. They could be collecting evidence, they could be looking at other people, too."

"Why bother if my finger prints are right there for them?"

"Because we _don't _know," Spencer said. "We don't, Toby. They could be thinking a thousand different things that have nothing to do with you."

A knock on the door distracted either of them from making anymore conversation, as Spencer slid out from behind the counter, and walked to the front door, and opened it, only to come face to face with two uniformed police officers.

"Is Toby Cavanaugh here?"


	3. Chapter 3

Spencer was speechless as she stared at the two stern-faced police officers. Every nerve-ending in her body felt numb, but she could feel the very real pain of her heart breaking, could feel it crack into a thousand jagged pieces as they dropped into her stomach.

"Ma''m?" The officer prompted. "I need you to answer the question."

"Yes," Spencer whispered, admitting defeat as she tried in vain to keep a grip on her emotions, at least until she could be alone with them.

"What can I do for you, officer?" Toby asked, coming to stand beside Spencer.

"Are you Toby Cavanaugh?"

"Yes."

"We have a warrant for your arrest."

Spencer had been expecting it, but it didn't make it any easier. The fact that he didn't deserve it, kept replaying in her head on a loop.

"Toby," she whispered, trying to catch his gaze, but he avoided it. She could see him swallow hard, trying to keep himself calm, she realized.

"Officer, he didn't-"

"Turn around," the officer said, ignoring the horrified look on Spencer's face. "And put your hands behind your back."

The moment seemed to play in slow motion as Toby obeyed the officer, and turned around. The _click _of the handcuffs as they were fastened around his wrists, binding them together, was like nails on a chalkboard.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law-"

"Officer," Spencer insisted. "Please, listen!"

"You have the right to an attorney," the officer said, talking over her. "If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you free of charge. Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you?"

"Yes," Toby said, his voice as weakened as Spencer had ever heard it.

"Spread your legs," the officer ordered. "Do you have anything on you that will stab or poke me?"

"My truck keys."

Tears were almost blinding Spencer's line of vision as she watched them as they thoroughly searched Toby for any illegal contraband.

"Officer," Spencer said. "He was with me the _entire _night of the fire. He couldn't have done it."

"Ma''m, please stand back," the officer warned. "Do not interfere with our work."

"But," Spencer tried to argue. "Why are you taking him if he has an alibi that I can account for?"

"Spence," Toby said, locking his gaze with hers. "Honey, calm down, okay? It's okay."

She shook her head. "No, it's not. You don't deserve this."

"Maybe not, but right now this needs to happen so we can get this cleared up, okay? I promise you you'll see me very soon."

If she could be guaranteed that safety net, perhaps she would have felt safer, better knowing that she had something to look foreword to, but she didn't, and she knew it.

"I love you," she whispered, as she came close enough to give him a quick kiss on his lips, a kiss that he reciprocated gently before softly pulling away.

"I love you, too."

Spencer watched as the officers turned and led him out the door, and to their marked car. It was one thing to have to be hauled into the station for questioning because of all the things that A had done to them, but it was another thing altogether to have someone you loved, be hauled away, and all because of a setup.

* * *

Spencer allowed herself a few moments to break down after they had left with him, she allowed the tears she had tried so hard to suppress, come flowing down uninterrupted.

When her phone buzzed, she was almost tempted _not _to answer it. It would only serve to upset her, and it was the last thing she needed on top of everything else.

_Heads up, Spencer, things don't usually work out well for those that double-cross me. Just look at how I almost wrung Mona's tiny neck-A_

Spencer tried to muffle her sobs, tried to put a filter on it, but it was like trying to suppress the urge to breathe, as she paced fruitlessly around her kitchen, trying to formulate an impossible plan, like she always did in times of stress.

With shaking fingers, she picked her phone up from the counter and dialed the number that she had long ago memorized. "Em, hey. I need you to bring that file over here," she said, trying her hardest to keep her voice even. "They just arrested him."

It only took a few minutes for Emily to make the drive over to Spencer's place. Once she got there, she found her friend lying on the sofa, mascara dried on her cheeks as she hugged a pillow close to her chest.

"Spence, hey," Emily said softly, as she took a seat across from her. "What happened?"

"They showed up and arrested him," Spencer explained. "No warning, no anything. I got an A text, too."

"You did?"

Spencer nodded as she struggled to a sitting position. "Basically confirming what we guessed from the start, that it was a setup."

Emily shook her head in silent astonishment. Of course, they had all assumed that it was a setup, right after the lighter had been found and Toby had remembered having it in his hand, but they had never guessed that A's torture would extend to their loved ones, and family.

"I have the file right here." Emily took it out from under her arm and laid it on the coffee table in front of Spencer. "Basically a lot of it is an outline of the fire, and witness statements, but near the back is where they discuss the forensic evidence."

"Okay," Spencer said, as she wiped her hand across her face. "Let me see it."

Emily watched as Spencer quietly sorted through all the documents related to the case, including their theories on who had started it and why.

"Suspect was once previously involved in a fire that injured and disabled Jenna Marshall, daughter of Anna Marshall, and step-daughter to Jack Cavanaugh."

"Just when we finally managed to put it behind us, the Jenna Thing rears its ugly head again," Emily said, her voice heavy as she watched Spencer read through the report.

"I'm sick of this," Spencer said, her voice breaking. "How many hits are we going to take before the dam breaks?"

"We can't think of it like that," Emily said firmly. "We have survived through so much worse."

"Nothing like this. I keep thinking we should tell the cops the truth about the Jenna Thing, but what good would it do now?"

"It might convince the cops that Toby had nothing to do with it, and therefore, his earlier arrest for it, was bogus."

Spencer shrugged. "I don't know. All I know is that my boyfriend is on his way to _jail_, and all for something that he didn't do."

Emily nodded as she rubbed his shoulder. "I know, I know. If we were to tell someone about the Jenna Thing, who would we tell?"

"Our parents, maybe, the cops. I don't know," Spencer said tiredly. "I just know that I can't stand much more of this."


	4. Chapter 4

Sitting handcuffed to a metal table in the middle of an interrogation room, Toby tried not to fall asleep as he blinked his eyes, trying to stay awake in the glare of the harsh lighting that was right above him.

It had been a hellish night for him-he hadn't managed to obtain any decent amount of rest, and the night was spent tossing and turning, trying _not _to think about the situation he was in, and _why_.

"Mr. Cavanaugh?" He turned his torso as one of the DA's came into the room, one that he hadn't met yet. "I'm Daniel Townsend, district attorney." He attempted to shake Toby's hand, something Toby ignored. "I'm in charge of the case surrounding the fire at Thornhill lodge."

"Shouldn't I have my attorney present if I'm going to talk to you?"

Townsend shrugged. "I guess that depends on where this conversation is going to go. Do you want to have some coffee and maybe tell me what happened?"

Toby didn't answer. His father had told him that he should _never _talk to a DA or prosecutor without his lawyer there to back him up, and while he and his father disagreed on many things, that was one thing they _did _agree on.

Townsend chuckled, seeing the look of indecision on Toby's face. Toby, for one, didn't see what was so funny about it, but he wisely chose not to comment.

"You don't need your attorney present to have a cup of coffee."

Toby shrugged, it _did_ sound good after his sleepless night. "Fine."

Townsend smiled, before pouring him a cup from the mini-coffee bar that was in the room with them. "Restless night?"

"You could say that," Toby replied coolly.

"Yeah, this place doesn't offer the kind of accommodations that you're used to, I'm sure."

Toby didn't answer, just stared at him.

"You have a good job, right?"

Toby nodded. _If my boss doesn't fire me for this_, he thought grimly.

"And you have a good family, right?"

"I don't really talk to my family anymore."

"Too much tension?"

Toby nodded.

"Listen, you're a good kid. You had that one incident a few years ago with the fire in your garage, but you've moved on from that, and that's wonderful. Which is why I'm prepared to offer you a deal-"

"I'm not talking about this," Toby interjected, feeling his heart begin to race as the DA brought up the one thing that he refused to touch. He refused to admit to something he didn't do, and especially when the source of their information came from A.

"Do you know how long you get for an arson charge like this? Ten years," Townsend said. "If you cooperate with us, your sentence will be reduced drastically. Five years, and that's even if you don't get time off for good behavior, which in that case, two, three years tops."

Toby shook his head, his jaw tightening reflexively as he looked down at his one handcuffed hand and his other uncuffed one, which took a distracting sip of the coffee, which actually didn't taste as horrible as he thought it would.

"Your finger prints are all over that lighter," Townsend said. "We tested it twice and we got the same results every time. Jury's have convicted on less, much less."

Toby didn't respond, he rested his hand on his chin as he watched the remaining dregs of his coffee swirl on the bottom of the styrofoam cup.

"I want my attorney here."

He knew the more he said, the more chance he had of accidentally incriminating himself. He hated this DA for trying to trick him into confessing, but he knew that was how most of them operated.

"Okay, that's fine. Are you waiving your right to talk to me more without your attorney here?"

"Yes."

"Okay, I just had to ask for legal purposes."

* * *

Spencer moved around her bathroom, applying mascara and eyeshadow on her face to mask the shadows under her eyes, products of her inability to sleep the night before.

Whenever she had been close to catching any shut-eye, images of Toby in handcuffs and being driven away in a squad car, flooded through her mind, rendering her incapable of catching any meaningful sleep.

When she walked down the stairs after dawdling in her bathroom for as long as she could, she found the girls already seated around her center island counter, all obviously waiting for her appearance.

"Morning," she said, as she made a baleen to the fridge, digging out a bagel and cream cheese. "Breakfast?"

"Thanks," Aria said, accepting the bagel. "We've been waiting for you."

"Why?"

"Well, we wanted to talk about The Jenna Thing again," Emily said. "We wanted to discuss coming clean about it, especially with what happened yesterday."

If the girls noticed Spencer wince, they didn't comment, neither did they comment when her eyes fell as she moved around the kitchen, ignoring their request for conversation.

"If we _do _come clean about this," Spencer said, as she poured a liberal amount of coffee into her cup, and then coated it with sugar. "There's no going back. It will be out in the open, and people will know that we did that."

"And let someone innocent take the fall for it," Aria said. "We actually let someone go to juvie for a _year_."

Spencer nodded as she slid into a seat. "But right now the cops are using _that _to build their case against Toby, so if that's taken out of the equation, they won't have a history to fall back on."

"But what will happen to _us _if we confess to it?" Hanna asked, speaking for the first time.

"We could tell them that it was an accident," Aria said. "We could tell them that blinding her wasn't intentional, and it wasn't, at least not on our end."

"But we still stood by and watched Ali as she threw that firecracker into that garage," Spencer said. "We still let it happen."

"Guys," Aria said, taking a bite of her bagel. "We need to make a decision. We can't leave it hanging in the air anymore."

"I vote yes, if it helps Toby," Emily said.

"Yes," Spencer said, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Sure," Hanna said.

"Yes," Aria said.


	5. Chapter 5

Spencer thought she would be used to walking into the county jail by now, having been arrested once before, and making her secret trips to interrogate Garrett Reynolds, but it was an entirely different matter when she was visiting someone that meant the universe to her, and who was stuck there against their will, and all for something they hadn't done.

Spencer was glad that she had Emily with her there for moral support, as she looked at her, as they sat down behind the thin sheet of glass that separated them from Toby, their best friend, and in Spencer's case, love and boyfriend.

"Thank you for being here," Spencer whispered, reaching over and squeezing Emily's hand. "It means a lot."

"You both are two of my best friends," Emily assured her. "I'm here to support him _and _you, and there's no way I would let you come here by yourself."

"Thanks, Em."

Any further conversation between the two friends was halted when the door beyond the glass was opened, and Toby appeared, cuffed in front, led by an expressionless guard

"Hey, Tobes," Spencer said, forcing a smile on her face as she came face-to-face with her boyfriend for the first time in almost two days. "How are you?"

"Hey, Spence," Toby smiled, probably the first genuine one he'd smiled in days. "I'm okay, this place takes some getting used to."

Spencer nodded understandingly. "I'm sure."

"Hey, Em," Toby said, turning his attention to her.

"Hey to you," Emily smiled. "What's new with you?"

"Attorny's, jail food. It's disgusting."

Spencer laughed. It felt strange when the last two days had been spent in a near perpetual state of devastation and grief. "Oh, yeah? Even worse than hospital food, baby?"

"By _far_. So, Em, what about swimming? Has that been kind of put on hold for now?"

Emily nodded. "For right now. My parents are paying for these injections for my shoulder, so hopefully they'll put me back in the game sooner or later."

"Let's hope so. The Rosewood team would have lost a star, that's for sure."

Emily chuckled once. "I'm not sure about that, but thanks anyway."

"Toby, listen," Spencer began hesitantly. "The girls and I, we talked about it, and we're going to tell the truth about what happened to Jenna and her eyes."

"Spence, no," Toby said, shaking his head. "You can't do that. It's a thing of the past, it's over and done with."

"No, it's not," Emily contradicted. "The cops are using _that _to build a case against you, Toby, they're using that to make the connection that you have a history with this kind of thing."

"If we take that "history" out of the equation," Spencer said, "they won't have a basis for reference at _all_."

"But you could be in trouble," Toby reminded her. "And I don't want that for either of you."

"But right now that's the only thing I can think of to help you," Spencer reminded him. "And if _this _will help get you out of here, we'll do it."

"When do you get your arraignment?" Emily asked, changing the subject when it was clear that Toby was about to argue against the plan. "Soon, right?"

Toby nodded. "Tomorrow, actually. Spence, listen, I don't want you to be there, okay?"

Spencer momentarily looked taken aback as she processed his words. "Why not, of course I'll be there."

"Because they'll probably either have me in cuffs or shackles, and I don't want you to have to see that."

Spencer nodded quietly. "Well, I already saw you in cuffs, remember?"

"I do, but that's different than seeing me in shackles."

Spencer hated crying, but she couldn't help it as she wiped at her face. "Do you remember what you told me the night I got arrested? That you wouldn't walk away? Well, I'm not walking away from _you_."

He shook his head softly. "Spence, it's not about that. Not at all."

"Are they going to let you out on bail?" Emily asked, attempting to direct the conversation elsewhere to derail a fight.

"I'm hoping. My attorney thinks there's a good chance I'll get it, but it will probably come with conditions, but it will be worth it."

"Absolutely," Spencer agreed. "Anything is better than being stuck here."

* * *

Spencer sighed as she wrapped her hair in a ponytail, as she attempted to focus on the AP Biology homework she had been assigned with that day at school. It was hard, though. The four of them had collectively decided to drop the bomb on their parents that night.

It wasn't even a bomb, it was a nuclear meteor. It was something that had far-reaching consequences that they probably couldn't even comprehend, but Spencer was counting on their motive for the prank, and the fact that it had been an accident, and her parents, of course, to help her and her friends out.

"Hey," Aria said, knocking lightly on her door as she and the two other girls came into the room, settling themselves around her floor.

"Hey," Spencer replied back.

"Are we still panning on telling them tonight?"

Spencer nodded. "Yeah, I guess."

"I texted my parents," Emily said. "They're coming over here, Spence."

"Mine are already here. My Dad's in his study, and my Mom's out back with Melissa."

"Mine and Hanna's are coming, too," Aria said. "I guess there's really no going back, is there?"

Spencer shook her head. "No, I don't think there is."

"We should get it over with," Emily said, her tan face slightly pale as she struggled to her feet with a groan. "Before we chicken out."

Spencer nodded, swallowing hard. "Okay, you're right."

The walk out of her bedroom felt like a thousand steps as the girls walked single file down the grand staircase to the family room. True to their word, their parents were all waiting downstairs for them, staring at them expectantly.

"We," Aria said, glancing over at her friends as she spoke. "We have something we need to tell you."

"Something important," Spencer said.


	6. Chapter 6

All four sets of parents looked at the girls expectantly, some with curiosity, some with worry etched clear on their faces as they wondered what in the world was going on, and why their daughters thought it was necessary to call this meeting.

"What's going on?" Peter Hastings asked. "Is anything wrong?"

Spencer sucked in a deep breath and nodded. "Well, in how many ways can I answer that question?" She let out a slightly hysterical laugh as her eyes met the other girl's for support.

"We need to get something off our chests," Aria said. "It's something that happened years ago, but it seems to keep haunting us wherever we go."

"Aria, what are you talking about? What's going on?" Ella asked, shifting her eyes over to Byron, who seemed equally as nonplussed as she was.

"When the firecracker was thrown in Toby Cavanaugh's garage," Emily began. "And the official story was that _he _had thrown it? It wasn't true."

"Then who threw it?" Pam asked, looking over at her husband, confusion written all over her face.

"Remember, Toby confessed to this," Wayne reminded them. "He told the police that he did that."

"Because Alison _threatened _him into telling the police that story," Hanna mused. "She said that he had been spying in our window for years, and it was time to get payback."

"Wait, Alison _said _that?" Ashley said, looking over at Tom for support. "She said that to you?"

"And we believed her," Spencer said, shaking her head in disbelief at her stupidity. "Foolishly," she traded glances with the other girls who nodded in agreement.

"And how did she convince you to get payback?" Veronica asked. "What did she tell you to do?"

Aria shook her head. "She didn't tell us to do anything other than follow her to his house, she was going to throw a firecracker in his garage, teach him a lesson."

"She didn't know that anybody was in there," Hanna said. "But when she threw it in there, she saw Jenna in there, and she told us to run. And we did, but we heard the explosion."

"And then," Spencer said. "She told us that she would take care of it, and I heard her screaming at Toby, telling him that if he told the truth, she would make sure everyone knew _his _secret."

The silence in the air following their confession, was so still that they were sure if a pen dropped, they could hear it with perfect clarity.

"And you didn't know that anyone was in the garage?" Peter Hastings asked, his face ashen as he addressed the girls.

"Maybe Alison did," Spencer said. "But we didn't, not at all."

"And she had a lighter and used it to to light the firecracker?" Veronica demanded.

"I had it and I gave it to her," Spencer confirmed. "Do you believe us?" She added, looking between the four sets of parents for a reaction.

"We do," Peter said. "But do you realize _how _this looks? Whether intentionally or not, you were responsible for _blinding_ someone."

"Once she got her sight back, a little bit of the guilt lifted off our shoulders," Aria said. "But we can't ignore it anymore."

"Why?" Byron asked. "What changed now?"

"The fact that my boyfriend is in jail right now for the lodge fire, and the police are using the incident in the garage to set up a pattern against him for this sort of _behavior_."

"Listen, girls," Veronica sighed. "We, all of us," she gestured to the other parents. "We need to talk about this alone. Can you please go back upstairs for a little while?"

"Sure," Spencer nodded wordlessly, as she turned on her heel and walked back up the staircase, with the girls following closely behind.

* * *

"I think they believe us," Aria said. "I don't think they doubted it, do you?"

Spencer shook her head as she settled herself on the floor on top of one of her favorite pillows. "I think they believed us, but what now? What are they going to do now?"

"I don't care anymore," Hanna said. "At least we told and got it out in the open."

"Do you think it helped Toby's case?" Emily asked, looking over at Spencer for her opinion.

"I don't know," Spencer sighed. "I hope so, but I guess we'll know when we tell the cops."

The three other girls nodded in agreement as they helped themselves to the snacks that Spencer had spread out on her floor. In many ways, telling their parents the truth about the incident, lifted a burden off their shoulders, but it was also terrifying to imagine what happened next.

"Do you think we made the right decision?" Aria asked, as she hugged a pillow to her chest.

"Yeah," Spencer nodded. "And even if we have second thoughts about it, there's no taking it back now."

"Girls," Veronica said, appearing in the doorway. "We've all talked about what we're going to do with the knowledge that you've given us, and right now, it's in everyone's best interests if we keep this as private as possible."

"What does that mean?" Spencer asked.

"I made an appointment with a detective that my law firm is friendly with, and we're going to meet him at the station and you're going to give your statement to him and only _him_, and he'll deal with it appropriately."

Spencer nodded, sucking in a deep breath. "When do we see him?"

"Tonight at eight, since the circumstances are so unique, he agreed to meet with us tonight."

"Could we get arrested for this?" Hanna asked.

"It's not likely, and right now, the only repercussion I'm anticipating are possible litigation issues, and maybe community service."

It wasn't as bad as the girls had expected it to be. But they had knowledge that their parents didn't, they didn't know if A would think to use this information against them.

"Thanks, Mom," Spencer smiled softly.

"I'll call you girls down when we're ready to leave for the station."

"Okay," Spencer said, looking down as she fixed a loose of her hair.

Of course they were nervous about giving their statements to the detective, but she was lifted up by her mother's reassurances that prosecution was highly unlikely for the accident.


	7. Chapter 7

It should have been routine for the girls to make trips to the police department to answer questions, but this time felt and _was _different as they walked up the imposing cement steps, flanked by their parents.

Almost immediately, the detective that would be questioning the girls individually, came out and first took Spencer back. She knew it was a tactic to get their stories straight, and see if their stories differed from each other's, but it was still intimidating to be alone with him, answering questions about something they _all _had been involved with.

"State your full name for the record," Detective Shields said, as he sat across from her, mini-laptop in hand as he waited for her response.

"Spencer Jill Hastings," she replied, her voice quivering as she busied her hands with arranging her hair into a loose ponytail.

"Your birthdate?"

"April 11, 1994."

Spencer couldn't help but glance at the metal bar beneath the table that was used to handcuff inmates there. She had never been subjected to it, but the thought wasn't far from her mind, especially now.

"Don't worry, we won't be bringing out the cuffs," Shields chuckled, seeing her reaction to the bar as he studied her. "So the incident in question relates to July 4, 2008, correct?"

Spencer nodded. "Yes."

"And that was when Jenna Marshall was injured in a garage fire, right?"

"Yes."

"What happened?"

Spencer took a breath as she recited the same story that she and the girls had told their parents earlier that night. "It was just an accident," she finished. "We never intended for her to be hurt."

"It was just a prank that spun out of control?"

Spencer nodded. "Yeah, I mean, we never would have thrown that in there had we known anything like that."

Shields nodded, his face sympathetic, but Spencer knew that it could have easily been a ruse to calm her, make her open up to him more.

"But someone _did _get hurt," he reminded her gently. "It was a prank that had consequences beyond your control."

She nodded, biting down on her thumb.

"Did you know that Jenna Marshall was in the garage?"

"No. Maybe Alison did, but we didn't."

"We, meaning you and your three other friends out in the lobby?"

"That's right."

"You let someone innocent be sentenced to a _year _in juvenile hall, caused a lot of problems for his family."

Spencer nodded, sucking in a deep breath as she tried to keep a lid on her emotions, at least until she could leave the room and deal with them later.

"Why didn't you tell somebody the truth about what happened?"

"We were scared."

It was a horrible excuse, especially when it was compared to what Toby had had to go through with his family and the justice system.

"Well, I can't make the decision whether or not you and your friends face any charges for this, that will be up to the district attorney, but stay in the state for the next few weeks."

Spencer nodded soundlessly. "Okay, thank you."

* * *

Spencer and the girls were relieved to be allowed to leave the PD, they each had been questioned for more than hour for their part in Jenna's injury, and were mentally as well as emotionally exhausted.

"Did you think that detective seemed a little _too _nice?" Hanna asked, as she laid her head down on the pillow in Spencer's bedroom, as she prepared to go to sleep.

"Maybe," Spencer shrugged, as she laid down next to her. "But he might have been trying to make us feel better."

"I was creeped out," Emily said, shuddering. "He gave me the creeps."

"Well, he is a friend of Veronica Hastings," Hanna said dryly. "No offense, Spence."

Spencer rolled her eyes. "None taken, _Han_."

"Do you think we'll get arrested for that?" Aria asked. "He sounded like it was a possibility."

Spencer shook her head. "No, I don't think so. Even if we do, my parents won't let anything like that to happen. We'll get more community service or something like that."

"If we get lucky again," Emily mused.

* * *

Toby had been right, when the guards had come to get him for his arraignment in court, the shackles and cuffs had come on. It was difficult walking with those things attached to his ankles and wrists, but he hoped and prayed that it would be over that afternoon.

The courtroom wasn't packed, just a few spectators sitting in the back of the room, writing things down in their notes as they stared lazily at him as the guards led him to sit by his attorney, someone his parents had hired for him when he was first accused of murdering Alison.

When the judge, a young man in his forties, came to the bench, the proceedings started. It had all happened so fast, too. The prosecutor, Daniel Townsend, got his chance to speak first.

"The inferno at Thornhill Lodge not only caused significant property damage, but the people that were trapped inside, were almost killed." Townsend said. "Miraculously and luckily for Mr. Cavanaugh, they were rescued."

Toby could feel his hear race as he was forced to listen to the state lay out their case against him. Most of it detailed the irrefutable DNA evidence that the state had against him, and their die-hard opinion that he was a sociopath.

He was relieved when he was given the chance to enter his not guilty plea, and also when his attorney was able to approach the podium and give his statement on behalf of his client, and to plead that the court allowed him bail.

"This is a complicated situation," the judge began. "With a lot of hard feelings at stake, and a lot of damage to consider, when we take into account the high risk of fatality that was associated with the blaze, and the fact that the forensic evidence is indisputable at this time."

Toby bowed his head. He could feel his heart drop like a stone into his stomach, as he could feel his attorney's hand tighten over his shoulder, preparing him for the worst.

"Bond is denied."

Toby sighed, sucking in a deep breath as he somehow found the strength to lift his head and look at the judge, his face showed no sympathy as he finished addressing the court at large.

"It's okay," his attorney whispered to him. "There are things we can do, there are appeals that I can file. We'll get you out of here."

Toby nodded, but he was barely listening as the pounding in his ears increased to a near deafening level as the guards stepped between he and his attorney, and gently began leading him out the door again.


	8. Chapter 8

"Wait, so you're telling me that the judge _denied _you bond?"

Spencer couldn't believe her ears as she stared at her boyfriend through the thin sheet of glass they were forced to communicate from. It was disheartening, and it was frustrating that she couldn't be in his arms, that she was forced to rely on these three times a week sessions with him.

"Yeah. Something about the high fatality risk, and the amount of damage that was done to the property."

"But no one died, what are they talking about?"

"There was still a risk," Toby gently reminded her.

Spencer shook her head, trying to suppress the irksome tears as she raised her hand and laid it flat against the glass. Toby copied her movement, raising a cuffed hand and touching the glass, exactly where her hand was on the outside of it.

"I thought your attorney promised you that you would be able to get bail," Spencer said, remembering Toby's earlier words to her. "What happened?"

"He just said that he _thought _I would be able to. He can't guarantee it when the judge can make any decision that he wants to with the evidence that he's given."

"I _hate _this," she swiped a hand across her eyes to keep the waterworks at bay as she tried to imagine their hands interlocking with each other, providing the comfort that they both could only imagine at that point.

"I know, me too," he nodded. "But there's nothing I can do, Spence. They believe they have a case, and they won't let that go for anything."

Spencer sniffled. "Yeah, I know."

She knew what _that _felt like, to have Wilden and his cronies breathing down their necks for crimes they didn't commit and be hauled into the station for questioning, it was a position she was highly familiar with.

"What about you, Spence?" Toby asked, as he, with difficulty, scratched a spot on his neck. "How are you? How's school going?"

Spencer shrugged, averting her gaze from the cuffs when he accidentally brought them into her line of view. It just served to upset her, seeing him like that, bound like the criminal he _wasn't_.

"It's okay. We did college tours yesterday, those were decent. I found one that I might be interested in going to, actually."

A hesitant smile crossed over Toby's face as he studied her. "Really? That's _great_, Spence!"

"Yeah, I know."

She had a hard time sharing in the same enthusiasm when it was difficult to celebrate it with him, and really appreciate the experience.

"Did you like the campus and what it had to offer?"

"It has a good law program, which is what my parents want me to do, and it isn't far from Rosewood, only an hour."

Toby nodded. "We could still see each other whenever we wanted to."

"I know. Listen, Toby, have you thought about finding another attorney?"

Toby's eyebrows fused together in confusion. "Why?"

"Because this one you have doesn't seem to be serving you much of any good. He seems to be, no offense, kind of _lazy_."

"Well, who do you suggest?"

"My mother or father, maybe?"

The suggestion brought an actual laugh out of Toby as he processed her words. "Spence, I know how great your parents are, but I think they'd sooner see me rot in here than help me _out_."

"I'll _talk _to them," Spencer insisted. "They know what they're doing when it comes to dealing with cases like this. They know how to work around judges and court orders."

Toby shrugged. He didn't like the idea of being at the mercy of Spencer's parents, who had the power of making or breaking his case, and presenting him in a favorable light to a jury or judge.

"If you think it will make a difference, then go ahead."

"Like I needed your permission," she laughed. "So what's it like here, Tobes?"

He shrugged. "It's different."

She laughed once for his benefit, even though she felt like doing anything but. "I'm sure. You have a bedtime?"

He shook his head, grinning. "I'm not five, but the lights _do _go out at ten during the week and at eleven during the weekend."

"Harsh. What about free time? Is there any such thing?"

"I get to get out of my cell during breakfast and then for about an hour outside to shoot hoops and play cards, that kind of thing."

"You don't play cards," she said with a wince. "I beat you a hundred times at Go Fish."

"Exactly, but it's the only kind of fun I get to have."

She nodded understandingly as she pressed a kiss to her hand then placed it on the glass. "I have to go, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

He nodded, she had the feeling that was the only source of interaction he had to look foreword to, other than his attorney.

Each time she walked out, she felt as if she should stage an epic break in and rescue him from that place. It was inconceivable to her that because of A's games, a person that she loved was locked up, denied bail and waiting for a release that seemed so far into the future.

Waiting for her mother to walk in after a long day at the office, was usually never an issue for Spencer, who minded her own business and lived her own life up in her room, and with her friends, but the discussion she _knew _they had to have, was weighing heavily on her mind.

"Hi, honey," Veronica Hastings said, as she finally walked through the door and into the kitchen, where Spencer was waiting for her. "How was your day?"

"Alright. I need to talk to you about something, okay?"

"Of course. What is it?"

"I was wondering," Spencer took a deep breath. "If you or Dad would help Toby."

"Help Toby with what?"

"If you would be his attorney."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because the one he has isn't very good, and he got denied bond for an _arson _charge. He should have gotten it, but he didn't."

"Who is his attorney now?" Veronica asked, the attorney part of her kicking into high gear as she spoke to her daughter.

"I don't know. Someone his father hired when his murder case was happening, but he's not doing anything to help Toby."

Veronica sighed. "I'll look into it, okay?"

"Is that a yes?"

Veronica shook her head as she plopped her briefcase down on the table. "It's not a yes, and it's not a no, either. I'll evaluate the case and if I feel like I or your father can take it on, then we'll do that."

Spencer pouted, realizing she had to accept her mother's answer for what it was. "Okay, thank you."


	9. Chapter 9

Visiting the county jail, returning home every night to finish studying for her AP classes, Spencer was confident her brain might explode from the redundancy of it all, but was saved when Aria caught up to her after school and suggested she and the other girls spend a leisurely night at her house, watching movies, gossiping and swapping makeup tips.

Just like old times.

"I _really _needed this. Thanks," Spencer said, as the four friends settled themselves around Aria's cozy bedroom.

"Oh, yeah. Of course," Aria replied, sitting cross-legged on the floor as she carefully arranged her makeup by product and type. "I just, we haven't done this in awhile, and it seemed right."

"Yeah," Spencer nodded. "I couldn't agree more."

"So," Hanna said, grabbing one of Aria's plush pillows and sitting on it. "What's the latest with everyone's boys _and _girls," she added, looking over at Emily.

"Well, my love life is kind of frozen at the moment," Aria said.

"Like, North Pole frozen?" Spencer asked, wincing.

"_Worse_ than the North Pole."

Emily laughed, twirling a piece of hair around her finger. "I remember that. When I was dating Ben, I was trying to figure out _who _I was, and I couldn't figure it out, and every choice seemed like a battle."

"Does Paige still want you to move to California?" Aria asked, as she crawled on her knees over to her DVD cabinet and got out several romantic comedy's to choose from.

"Yes. She wants to go tour the campus during spring break."

"Are you going with her?" Spencer asked, as she kicked off her shoes and socks, and selected one of Aria's nail polishes.

"I don't know. Maybe. I have to check with my parents first."

"Well," Spencer sighed, unscrewing the cap of the dark purple nail polish, and carefully applying the polish to her toenails. "_My _boyfriend is in jail for something he didn't do, and it was an epic A setup."

"Wait," Emily said, glancing up at Spencer, confusion painted clear on her face. "I thought Toby's arraignment was yesterday."

"Yeah," Spencer nodded. "His bond got denied."

It was still hard talking about, it was even harder when she took into account how hopeful they _both _had been that he would be able to be released on bail, and knowing that it wasn't likely to happen, was devastating.

"Why?" Emily demanded, looking like she was about to cry as she stared at Spencer incredulously.

Spencer shook her head in disbelief. "Something about the high fatality risk and the amount of malice that was behind the fire, not to mention the _thousands _of dollars in property damage."

"But he didn't _do _it," Emily shot back, looking sick.

"Yeah, but they don't know that," Spencer said, looking disgusted. "They have a suspect and they won't let that go for anything."

Hanna shook her head as she bit down on her oatmeal cookie. "I don't think they care _who _they get, as long as they have a story that they can feed to the public."

"Makes sense," Spencer said quietly, as she refocused on her nails, making sure none of the polish slopped on the hardwood floor.

"So _how _is he?" Aria asked. "I mean, is he _doing_ okay?"

Spencer nodded, as she sucked on her bottom lip. "Yeah, he is. I mean, he was disappointed he couldn't get out, but all things considered, he's doing okay."

"The fact that you're visiting him, Spence, it probably means the world to him right now," Emily said, smiling softly at her friend.

"I think it's the only thing that's keeping us both sane," Spencer said.

"Okay, so what movie are we going to watch first?" Hanna asked. "_Valentines Day_ or _Gone With the Wind_?"

"Well, I've always had a thing for Clark Gable," Spencer said. "So I pick Gone With the Wind."

"Yeah," Aria said. "Let's watch that."

"Spence," Emily said. "I thought I heard your phone go off." She dug under the pillow for Spencer's phone and gently handed it to her.

"Thanks, Em."

She sniffled as she clicked on the one unread text message, and instantly felt her blood run cold as she read the text.

_Heads up, Spence, Mommy may be catching Toby's fall, but when I vow revenge, it doesn't stop until I say it does. Kisses-A_

* * *

Toby was used to getting a steady stream of visitors. Some were simply reporters trying to get an exclusive interview with the accused arsonist, some were family, like Jenna, who he refused to speak with, and his father.

But the last person he _ever _expected to see, was the one person that he had been hoping to see, ironically. Breakfast hour had just finished and the jail had just finished their semi-regular inmate count, when the visiting hours had begun.

"Cavanaugh, you have a visitor."

Thinking, of course, that it was Spencer coming to see him before school, or maybe that she was taking a day off, he allowed the guard to put the waist chain and shackles on, before they led him through the noisy hall, toward the private visiting rooms, and interrogation areas.

"Who wants to see me?" He asked, thinking it wouldn't hurt to be prepared and not have to face another ugly surprise like when he had been confronted with Jenna's smirking face when he had sat down.

The guards, as per usual, did not engage with him as they simply tugged him along. It didn't bother him. He knew what they thought, what mattered the most to him was what his family and friends thought, most especially Spencer.

Instead of leading him down the usual path down toward the visitors bay, they turned him around a corner that he knew was where the interrogation rooms were. His eyebrows scrunched together in confusion, wondering why they were taking him there.

"Wait here," the guards instructed, as they scanned the card that would gain them access to the room.

Toby nodded, before the door was unlocked and he came face to face with the last person he had ever expected to see visiting him.

"Hello, Toby."

"Mrs. Hastings?"


	10. Chapter 10

Spencer was half-surprised she hadn't gone insane yet. Her family's coffee maker was malfunctioning, rendering her incapable of making a life-saving pot of coffee, and most of her AP homework was sitting unfinished and collecting dust on her desk.

She and the hardwood floor were quickly becoming fast friends as she nearly paced a hole in the floor as she waited for her savior, also known as Emily Fields, to drop by a cup of coffee from the Brew.

"Hey," Emily said, coming in through the side door, cup of coffee in hand as she handed it over to her ravenous, coffee-deprived best friend, who instantly inhaled more than half of the beverage in one gulp. "You're _welcome_," she added, when Spencer finally came up for air.

"Thanks," Spencer said, rolling her eyes at her friend's exasperation. "Did you open up the Brew this morning, or did you stop by to help out a friend?"

Emily shrugged, as she took a seat at the island stool. "Kind of both, actually. Zach needed someone to cover him for an hour, and the coffee was on the house."

"Wow," Spencer said, impressed, as she took a particularly large gulp of the strong caffeine. "That was generous."

"Yeah, I know. I also was able to stop by and see Toby for a minute before I came here."

"Really?" Spencer raised her eyebrows. "How is he?"

"He's good. He said that your Mom's representing him now."

Spencer nodded, as she curled her fingers around her coffee cup. "Yeah, she told me yesterday when she came home."

Having her mother agree to represent Toby, was like the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders, enabling her to finally breathe as she tried to refocus her mind on the glorious day that Toby would finally be released, and their nightmare would be over.

"He said there's this court hearing tomorrow morning to determine whether or not the judge erred when he denied him bond."

Spencer had also heard that when she had visited Toby the night before, and he had given her the details about the hearing and the possibilities behind it. "Yeah, he told me last night."

It was habit for her _not _to get her hopes up, because she knew that more than likely, she would end up bitterly disappointed when the desired outcome didn't happen.

"What are you thinking about?" Emily asked, noticing the contemplative look on her friend's face.

Spencer shrugged, shaking her head. "Nothing really. Just trying _not _to get my hopes up on this hearing working out for Toby. We had that same exact hope for the arraignment, and we all know how _that_ went."

Emily nodded. "I know, but this one is different."

"Yeah, for one thing my Mom will be there, and for another, it will be a different judge."

"That's good, right?"

Spencer nodded. "Best case scenario."

She couldn't imagine hearing for a second time that he had been denied bond. It had been stunning enough hearing it the first time, but she was sure that hearing it a second time, would be enough to send her over the edge again.

"I also got us a Cinnamon roll," Emily said abruptly, to change the subject when it was clear that Spencer was getting uncomfortable with it. "Eat up."

"Thanks, Em," Spencer smiled. "You know what Toby loves?"

"These things with a fountain of icing on it," Emily said, laughing. "He told me. I got these for him for his birthday last year instead of a cake."

Spencer smiled, nodding as she dipped the roll into the icing cup. "I remember that. Those were _so _good."

Emily smiled. "They were. Thinking about these memories, it's easier, isn't it?"

Spencer nodded. "Yeah. I mean the last memory I had of Toby when he _wasn't _in jail, was him being handcuffed and then being dragged away by the cops."

"Your Mom's good. If there's anyone that can figure this out for him, it would be her."

Spencer nodded, smiling gratefully. "I know. Thanks, Em."

It _was _comforting knowing that her mother was backing Toby, that she would give him the best legal advice that she could, but it was also frightening that a judge _or _jury could decide against them, regardless of her own personal hopes and feelings.

* * *

Toby would have thought that he would be used to being hauled into court for a proceeding, or for an arraignment, but the feeling of humiliation never _completely_ went away, not when people were treating and_ looking_ at him like he was a criminal.

But for this hearing, he tried to shove as much of his own personal feelings aside as he could safely do, as he went through the familiar routine of being shackled and cuffed, before being led down to the courthouse.

It was a relief when he entered the courtroom and saw Veronica seated at the defense table, waiting for him as she jotted down notes in yellow legal pad paper.

"Remember," Veronica said, when the guards had seated him down next to her. "No matter what this judge says, do not shake your head, do not mutter under your breath, and don't show any reaction at all, do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good."

Her approach was brash but he didn't expect anything else, as he simply nodded along to her instructions. The hearing started soon after, leaving them no real chance to communicate as the judge came to the bench.

This judge, a woman in her fifties, was clearly a no-nonsense type of woman as she calmly and collectively addressed the court at large, and went through the legalese type of talk that Toby couldn't understand, before moving on to the issue at hand: Whether or not the previous judge had erred in denying him bail.

It was interesting watching Veronica and the prosecutor engage in a heated battle of words with each other over a piece of evidence that Veronica wanted admitted, but the prosecution was fighting against.

Finally, the judge put an end to their bickering and admitted the piece of evidence into the case, no questions asked and no room for debate from the prosecution.

But when the issue of bail came up again, Toby could feel his heart race as his heart thundered painfully in his ears, as he clenched and unclenched his hands, trying to keep himself under some semblance of self-control.

"Judge Willard, it is my belief, made the decision to deny the suspect bond, hastily and without much forethought," the judge said, her dark eyes landing on each individual in the courtroom before focusing on the room at large again. "I don't think there was any reason _not _to give the bond."

_Thank you, _Toby thought, trying not to get ahead of himself, trying not to let himself feel that relief until it was one hundred percent set in stone.

"The defendant is not a flight risk, he is not a danger to the community. He has a good job that supports him well. But the crime he is accused of is still heinous, it was still done with malicious intent."

Toby bowed his head, trying to prepare for the worst.

"I am going to set the bail at one hundred and twenty thousand dollars."


	11. Chapter 11

The world seemed to spin around on its axis as Toby listened to the judge hand down her final decision. A part of Toby felt numb at everything that had happened, and another larger part of him was ecstatic that _finally _someone had given him a break.

When the guards stepped between he and Veronica, and gently began leading him away, out the side door that he had come through, it didn't fill him with the same dread as before, because he knew that he wouldn't have to go through the same humiliation anymore.

Instead of leading him back to his cell like they always had before, the guards directed him to a conference room, and to Toby's relief, undid the shackles and cuffs, allowing him to walk freely and without the usual discomfort.

"You can take the jumpsuit off and put it on the table," the guard said, before handing him a plastic bag full of the clothes he had come in with. "And then you can put your clothes back on, and claim your personal possessions."

Toby didn't need to be told twice as he stripped out of the ugly orange suit and back into the clothes they had arrested him in with: a light gray t-shirt and dark blue jeans. Even though they were dirty, even though they hadn't been cleaned in days, they still felt like the softest, most intricate pieces of clothing, compared to what he had been subjected to.

When he had finished, and the guards had led him back out to the front of the precinct, he glimpsed Veronica waiting for him by the front desk, briefcase in hand as she met his gaze.

"Okay, we have to be in court on the twenty-second of next month, but that should be it for awhile, at least until the trial."

Toby nodded as he sucked in a deep breath. Even though he had won and had gotten bonded out, the fact that he still had to face a trial, was never far from his mind, but he was determined to push it back until he absolutely _had _to confront it.

"Thank you for everything," he said. "I owe you."

"You're welcome," she said stiffly, plastering her best approximation of a smile on her face as she clapped him briefly on the shoulder, before gesturing for him to walk out the doors of the station.

Toby hadn't anticipated the total euphoria he felt at something as simple as pushing those oppressive doors open, and walking out into the cool, sunny outdoors.

"Toby!"

He looked in the direction where the voice was coming from, and saw Spencer running to him from across the bustling parking lot, her curly hair flapping wildly in the wind as her legs carried her as fast as physics would allow, toward her man.

"Spencer," he breathed incredulously, holding his arms out wide to receive her, as she all but flew into his embrace, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck in a vice-like grip. "It's okay, baby, it's okay," he whispered, when he could feel her body quake under him.

For the longest time, they held each other, needing no words for their reunion as they focused on the simple joy of being in each other's arms again. She sniffled, tucking her head under his chin, as he tightened his arms around her, promising her his safety and his security once more, and she had never felt more peaceful, more sure of anything.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too" he vowed, as he gently pulled her back, weaving his hand through her chocolate-colored hair as his lips meshed with hers, enjoying a reunion of their own.

"It's okay," she said, sounding as though she were trying to convince herself of that as much as he was. "It's going to be okay."

He nodded. "It will be. It _really _will be," he said, his own voice shaken as he wrapped his arm around Spencer's shoulders, pulling her close as they made the walk across the parking lot toward Spencer's mother's car.

"See, my Mom isn't so bad, is she?" Spencer teased, as she paused in their hurried stride to give him another peck on the lips, but had to restrain herself, at least until they could safely tuck themselves away in his loft for the night.

"No, she isn't," Toby agreed, his blue eyes sparkling as they reached her mother's fancy SUV and slid smoothly into the backseat together, their hands joined together as she laid her head on his shoulder.

* * *

_So how is he doing? _Emily asked over the phone, as Spencer puttered around his kitchen, making Toby an assortment of his favorite meals.

"He's okay. He's in the shower right now. He hasn't had a really good one in a few days, so it's _definitely _needed."

Emily laughed on the other end of the line, as Spencer put the pasta in the oven, setting the electric timer on the stove, before taking a seat on the couch.

_I bet. Jails aren't really the cleanest of places. I would come over to see him, congratulate him on his homecoming, but I know you guys need some space right now._

Spencer nodded, as she wrapped a wool blanket around herself. "Yeah, it's not you, Em, but maybe if you come over tomorrow morning?"

She wanted to shout from the rooftops how ecstatic she was that Toby was finally being let go, but she also recognized how badly she needed this time with him, especially after being deprived of his hold for so long.

_That sounds good. Want me to bring over some coffee and Cinnamon rolls for you guys, too? _

Spencer nodded, feeling her mouth water from the thought of inhaling such delicious treats. "That sounds great, Em, thanks," she said, looking over her shoulder as Toby emerged from the bathroom, his hair still tousled and wet from the towel dry it had gotten. "I gotta go, okay?"

_Okay. See you tomorrow._

Spencer gratefully put the phone back in her pocket as she met Toby halfway, looping her fingers through his jean holes, pulling him close as their lips connected. "I have your pasta in the oven," she whispered, their eyes dancing with each other.

"It smells _perfect_," he whispered, bending his head low to give her an Eskimo kiss.

"Good," she murmured, giving him a small pout as she broke away from him, and got the food out of the oven. "Even if it is a little burned?" she called over her shoulder, throwing him a guilty look as she placed it carefully on the table.

"I don't care."

And like the good sport he was, he inhaled the food as she watched with a small smile playing across the edges of her mouth.

"And I got Cinnamon rolls from the Brew, the ones you love," she reminded him, as she dragged the festive box onto the table and scooped two large ones onto his plate, and one onto her own plate.

"You think of everything, don't you, Spence?" He said, shaking his head in disbelief, before bringing the dessert up to his mouth, and crushing it between his teeth.

"Is it good?"

Toby nodded, before leaning over and giving her a sugary kiss. "What do you think?"

"It tastes _excellent_."


	12. Chapter 12

The sweetest sound that Spencer could have woken up to, were the soft sounds of Toby's breathing as he slept. His chest rising and falling gently in time with his breaths, one arm wound tight over the small o Spencer's back, the other arm lying limp at his side.

Spencer desperately didn't want to interrupt this moment, she wanted to take full advantage of this rare opportunity to be completely and utterly at peace, but nature was calling, much to her chagrin.

Carefully and with movements that would make a contortionist proud, she managed to extricate herself from his tight embrace without waking him from the sleep he had sorely deserved the last several days.

Once she was done using the bathroom and brushing her teeth with her strawberry flavored toothpaste, she walked out to the living room/kitchen area and began responding to the series of texts that had been left to her in the middle of the night.

Some of them she ignored, some she saved for later, and some she deleted, and still some she replied to, the ones that called for her immediate and uninterrupted attention.

"What time did you wake up?" Toby asked, walking out to the living room in the clothes he had fallen asleep in, his hair sticking up at odd angles from the fitful sleep he had enjoyed.

"Just a little while ago," Spencer replied, stowing her phone back in her pocket as she moved over so Toby could sit down beside her. "How did _you _sleep?" She inquired, her hand absently running through his unruly hair.

Toby shrugged. "It was good. Certainly better than sleeping on a metal cot. Plus _you _were here, that certainly insured I would get a decent sleep."

Spencer smiled softly. "I'm glad."

Toby smiled, before adjusting his position on the couch so Spencer could lay her head on his lap. "What are you thinking about?" he asked softly, playing with her hair as she closed her eyes.

"I'm not," she said quietly.

"Is Em bringing over breakfast?"

Spencer nodded. "Yeah, pretty soon."

"Good. From the Brew?"

Spencer nodded. "Yeah. She's bringing those Cinnamon rolls you love so much."

Spencer could actually hear his stomach grumble at the thought of enjoying such a pleasurable treat.

She sighed, knowing their time together was about to come to an end as she heard Emily's car pull up in the alley outside. She untangled herself from Toby's grasp as she moved over to the kitchen and grabbed plates and forks for the three of them.

"Come on in, Em!" Spencer called when Emily knocked her signature two knocks, before coming in, bags and drinks in hand. "Thank you _so_ much. It smells and _looks _delicious."

"Glad," Emily smiled, before setting the bags and drinks on the table and reaching out to give Toby a tight hug. "How are you?"

"I'm doing really good."

"Good. You deserve that."

"Let's eat," Spencer said, clapping her hands together, as they spread out the appropriate food to each other as they took seats around the table.

"This is great, Em, thanks," Toby said, part of his mouth covered in icing as he took a drink of his coffee.

"No problem," Emily shrugged.

"You missed a spot, baby," Spencer said, before leaning over and kissing the icing that was stuck on his chin.

"Thanks," Toby smirked, before taking advantage of the opportunity he had, and gave her a quick kiss on her soft, plump lips.

"Learn to use a napkin," she scolded teasingly.

"Why should I bother now?" He retorted, a rare sparkle in his eyes as he helped himself to more rolls, he was about to take another sip of his coffee, before his phone text signal distracted him.

_My revenge is like my own personal purgatory, something you won't come out of until I say you do-A_

"Who was it?" Spencer asked, trying to peek over Toby's shoulder at the text, but he quickly blocked it from her view. "Toby?"

He shook his head. "No, nothing," he said, plastering a smile on his face. "Just some stupid advertisement."

"They send those in texts now?" Emily asked, looking disgusted.

"Yeah, just that one."

"Well, I would hate to see the future of texts now," Spencer said, chuckling, but Toby still caught her shooting him suspicious glances, clearly not entirely believing his story. "So are you going to call your boss today?"

"Yeah, hopefully I still have a job."

He had tried putting off thinking about it for as long as he could, but now that it was a Monday and the first start of the working week, he knew that he couldn't play around anymore.

"You _will_," Spencer promised. "They'd be idiots not to have you back."

"Or incredibly _smart_," Toby mused. "They probably don't want an accused arsonist working on someone's house, just a guess," he added dryly.

"Toby, you're a good worker," Emily said, rubbing his shoulder. "Yeah, you're accused of causing that fire, but you haven't been convicted of anything."

Toby shrugged. "I guess we'll see when I call him."

* * *

"Hey," Aria said, looking up from her studying as Spencer and Emily made themselves at home in her living room. "What's up?"

"Toby got fired," Emily said, speaking the words that Spencer couldn't even verbalize, she was too stunned, too upset for her boyfriend.

"What?" Aria looked incredulously at her two best friends. "Why?"

"Because his arrest for arson sends a bad message to the company," Spencer said, "they said that homeowners wouldn't want him on their property, not with this."

Spencer sat on the footstool, burying her head in her hands, wishing it was that easy to send away every single problem in her life, as she finally came up for air.

"Unbelievable," Aria said, shaking her head. "What else?"

"He was acting different," Emily said, "after he got this text on his phone, he was acting different."

"You think it was an A text?" Aria asked.

Spencer flipped her hand, shrugging. "I don't know. He wouldn't tell me, not if he thinks it would upset me or cause more stress."

It was devastating _enough _to be arrested and jailed for an offense he didn't commit, but to lose his job over the offense, Spencer couldn't even imagine what he was feeling.

"Where is he now?"

"His Dad wanted to talk to him so he went over to his parent's house," Spencer said.


	13. Chapter 13

Generally, Toby tried to avoid talking to his father and stepmother whenever possible. There were just too many skeletons in the closet, and too many hard feelings where Jenna was concerned, and his "role" in her injury.

But there were times when Toby couldn't escape a meeting with them, especially after something like an arrest, or another life-changing event. It was with great dread that he returned to his old house, a place that he swore he would never step foot in again, as he walked in without knocking.

The house was exactly as he remembered it: dark, oppressive and obsessively neat. His father and stepmother, he refused to call Ann Marshall his mother, were lounging out in the sunroom, daiquiri's in hand as they laughed about something.

"Hey," Toby said, announcing his presence as he took a seat on the worn loveseat in the room. "You wanted to talk to me about something?" he asked, directing his gaze to his father, who's laughter had stopped the second Toby had walked in.

"Yes," Jack Cavanaugh said, clearing his throat as he set his drink down on the cut holder, and turned his torso to face his only son. "We," he nodded at his wife, "wanted to discuss this...incident of yours."

Toby almost laughed. "Incident?"

"Your arrest," Ann said. "For the arson that occurred at Thornhill Lodge?"

"What about it?" Toby asked blankly. "What do you want to know?"

"Well, we want _your _side," Jack said. "And _I _want to know why you fired Richard Bates as your attorney."

Toby sighed, bending foreword as he ran a weary hand over his face. "I found a better attorney, dad," he said, still refusing to look up as he kept his face under his hand.

"Who? Who could be better than the man who saved _your _ass from the state penitentiary?"

Toby shook his head, looking up from his self-imposed exile behind his hand, and faced his father head on. "Well, he was also the one who appeared before the judge, and the judge denied my bail, and my new attorney went up before a judge and got me bail."

"Toby," Ann said, clasping her hands together. "We spoke to Jenna and she said that she tried to visit you before you were bonded out, and you refused her visit?"

"That's right," Toby replied cooly. "When she _actually _starts showing concern for me, I'll give her the same curtesy."

"Toby, are you aware of the penalty you're facing if you get convicted of this arson charge?" Jack demanded, changing the subject when it became clear that Ann looked like she was about ready to slap him for the comment he made against Jenna.

"Yes, Dad," Toby replied through gritted teeth. As if he _needed _to be reminded about the potential ten year sentence he faced if he was found guilty.

"Who are you planning on having represent you? This new lawyer of yours?"

Toby nodded, silently seething as he stared down at his hands.

"And you're sure you're comfortable with this lawyer?" Ann asked, clearly over her mood swing over Jenna, and back to pretending to be the concerned stepmother.

"Yes," Toby nodded.

Veronica definitely came off as intimidating and someone not to cross, but Toby couldn't deny what a brilliant lawyer she was, and he respected her for that.

All he wanted to do was leave there, leave his parents house and never look back. He thought he was done with that place when he packed his things and moved out, but something always brought him back.

"Well," Ann said, looking over at her husband. "How are you liking your loft?"

"Good," Toby said. "I really like it."

The impromptu meeting wrapped up soon after. Toby was relieved to be allowed to walk out of there. It had never been an easy relationship with his parents, but now he was glad that he had the choice of whether or not to be there.

When he heard the familiar ding of his cell text signal, he almost ignored it, but the same sound continued on a loop until he sighed, dragging the phone into his unwilling sight as he clicked on the message.

The picture showed the tan-colored lighter stowed among Toby's thing in the back of his truck. Toby almost closed the message right then, but the A message that was blaring at the bottom of his screen.

_Hear that? It's the sound of your pounding heart. One click and this picture goes to the DA's office, unless you do what I tell you-A_

* * *

Joining her friends in the Brew along with Toby, Spencer had never felt more at ease, more peaceful as she sat in between Toby and Aria, as they drank their coffees and ate their sugar treats, laughing and gossiping like they hadn't done in awhile.

"So, Toby," Aria said, "have you started looking for any new jobs?"

Toby shrugged, leaning his head against Spencer's, his hand interlocked with hers.

"I started looking today, I haven't heard back from anyone yet."

The A text was ever present on his mind, and what he had to do if he wanted to avoid having that picture sent to the DA's office. Every inch of him was resisting it, holding out for as long as he could until he _had _to make a choice.

"Well," Emily said, "they would be idiots not to hire you, it was stupid that you even got fired," she assured him.

"How did it go today with your parents?" Spencer asked, running her hand through his hair.

"Typical, nothing too surprising."

Spencer nodded sympathetically as she leaned her head against his. "Sometimes it's just the way things are, you know?"

Toby nodded, not trusting himself to speak as he quickly ran his fingers through his eyes. "Yeah, I know," he said, offering her a tight smile.

"Hey, are you okay?" Aria asked, catching the look on Toby's face quicker than anyone else.

"Yeah," Toby nodded. "It's just been really hard the last few days."


	14. Chapter 14

Toby sighed as he held his phone in his hand, staring at the picture of the lighter that A had taunted him with. It was one thing to perform tasks for the team that weren't detrimental to the girls, but slipping dangerous drugs in the injections for Emily's shoulder? Messing with Spencer's brakes? Just one of the many tasks that A had told Toby he would need to do in order to avoid having the picture sent to the DA's office.

It was an almost impossible predicament: Do those things and avoid serious jail time, or refuse to do those tasks, and face a probable decade long prison term. He was nineteen, he'd be twenty-nine when he got out, his entire adult life reduced to nothing but confinement and separation from his family and friends.

"Hey." He looked up from his phone as Caleb walked into the loft, bag slung over his shoulder as he dumped it unceremoniously on the dining chair. "You called?"

Toby nodded, as he straightened up from his prone position he had been enjoying on his sofa. "Yeah, what have you got on A so far?"

"What do you mean?" Caleb asked as he arched an eyebrow in question.

"Didn't you and Paige try to crack their code?"

"Well, yeah, but we didn't really find a whole lot."

Toby sighed, before throwing his phone at Caleb, who caught it with apparent ease as he stared down at the highlighted picture.

"What's this?"

"The lighter," Toby prompted. "That's what A is using to bait me."

Caleb's eyebrows knitted together in confusion as he tried to connect the invisible dots. "What does this lighter have to do with anything-"

"It's the same one that was used to set the fire at the lodge. I spent almost a week in jail because _my _fingerprints were on it. Now, the DA is preparing to go to trial, and if I get convicted, it's a ten year sentence."

"Are you serious?"

Toby nodded. "Now A is saying that if I don't do these jobs for them, they'll foreword that picture to the DA's office, and it will look even worse for me if they do, and they know it."

Toby watched as Caleb took a seat across from him. "What is A saying you have to do in order to avoid having this picture leaked?"

"Mess with Spencer's car brakes, inject drugs into Emily's injections for her shoulder, send a damaging report about Hanna's mother to the PD, and spy on Aria's brother, set him up for his buddy's car being destroyed."

Caleb shook his head in disbelief as he turned his head to look over at Toby. "They're not messing around, are they?"

Toby shook his head. "So far," he said, getting up from the couch and moving over to the supersized cork board on his wall. "This is what I have: Squat."

Caleb looked at the board intently as he moved to join Toby. "Well, we just have to connect our brains, and our knowledge and figure it out."

Toby nodded. "The big question: Who is A?"

The question on every single brain that was handling the operation, but an answer had been out of their reach, even with every single hands on deck working toward a resolution.

Caleb nodded, as he leaned foreword to write in red sharpie, the question. "That's what we have to go on so far, who is A-"

"And who flew the plane into Thornhill," Toby added, writing that down on the board.

"And who killed Wilden," Caleb said, adding that to the board.

"Who knocked me out."

Caleb exhaled in surprise as he took a step back, examining the amount of work they had done in such a short time. "We've got work to do."

* * *

Spencer sighed, throwing her arms over her eyes as she tried to make herself comfortable on her own bed. She couldn't get comfortable as a thousand different thoughts ran through her mind, each one different than the last, but equally as consuming and complicated.

"Hey," Emily said, inviting herself in as she sat took a seat at Spencer's desk. "You sure you want to help me with my homework?"

Spencer nodded silently, still in the same position as she took a deep breath. "How do you know when someone you love is lying to you?"

"Are we talking about human theory or Toby?" Emily asked, turning her torso to face her friend.

"He's _lying _to me," Spencer said, sitting up in her bed as she faced her friend. "And I mean, lying _lying._"

"How do you know?"

"Not letting me see his phone when he gets a text, acting jumpy whenever his phone goes off, being grouchy and moody with me. He says that it's just the job search, but it's not just that."

"Have you asked him if it's A?"

Spencer nodded. "Yeah, and he says it's not, but I know that it is."

Emily sighed, flipping her hair behind her ear. "If he is lying to you, it's because he thinks he's protecting you."

"Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. The last time he kept something big from me, I ended up with a mental breakdown, remember?"

"I'm sure if you ask him, he'll be honest with you," Emily said. "I don't think either of you want to relive that experience."

Spencer shrugged, her eyes momentarily misting over as she took a deep breath. "I don't know, Em, why is he doing this if he knows how much it effects me if he lies like that?"

"You don't know if he is or not," Emily contradicted. "You won't know anything unless you sit him down and talk to him."

Spencer nodded. "Yeah, I guess. What homework do you need help with?"

"Physics."

"Great," Spencer said, rolling her eyes, as she walked over to Emily and bent her spine foreword to better inspect the work.

"This stuff should be a breeze for you," Emily said, shaking her head. "I just haven't been gifted with a Hastings brain."

"_Please_," Spencer said. "You're plenty smart."

"Girls," Veronica said, knocking once on the door as she came in. "I just got off the phone with the detective that you girls talked to."

"And?" Spencer asked, exchanging a glance with Emily.

"We need to go downstairs and talk about this."


	15. Chapter 15

Barely exchanging the secretive glances they normally would have in similar situations, Spencer and Emily followed her mother downstairs to the living room, where they took seats side-by-side on the white love seat. Her mother stopped in front of them, placing her hands on her hips as she addressed them.

"I just spoke with Detective Shields on the phone," Veronica said. "He spoke with the District Attorney, and they _are _going to charge you four girls with assault with a deadly weapon."

Her tone was simple, as if she was announcing the morning news, or handing out breakfast. For Spencer, she felt like her stomach had jut been ripped out and put back together again.

She tasted bile in the back of her throat as she swallowed it back forcibly before turning to her friend, who looked just as stunned as she did.

"So what does that mean for _us_?" Spencer demanded.

"It's a felony charge," Veronica said. "You won't be jailed for _now_, but you still have to go to the station and let them take your mug shot and finger prints, then you'll be free to go."

Her mother's "for now" answer was what scared Spencer the most as she and Emily quietly shrugged on their jackets, and followed her mother out to her car.

"Mom, what has the Cavanaugh family said?"

From the backseat, Spencer could see her mother glance at her from the rearview mirror, her face an unreadable, controlled mask, just like what Spencer was accustomed to.

"The family has requested that all proceedings related to this case, happen sooner rather than later, and that they don't wish to see you girls go to prison for this."

"They _don't_?" Emily asked, trading looks with Spencer. "Why?"

"They just don't. They told the prosecutor that they don't want that. If anything happens, you girls will probably get a few days in county, but that's it."

"Are you expecting that?" Spencer asked, feeling her stomach turn at the thought of being forced to live there, even if it was only for a few days.

"I'm expecting some kind of retribution, but I don't know what."

Spencer nodded, trying to control the frantic stuttering of her heart as her mother pulled in front of the station, hugging the curb as she gestured for the girls to step out.

"Are Aria and Hanna meeting us here?" Emily asked.

"Their parents are bringing them, yes."

Inside the station, the officer in charge met Veronica and the girls at the front desk, and, taking Spencer by the arm, led her back to where she would be printed and photographed.

"Just stand nice and still," the officer instructed as he directed Spencer where she should stand. She went through about three different positions before the shots were done, and she could leave.

She waited, along with her mother and Hanna's, Emily and Aria's moms, as her friends took their turns, before the detective came out, and beckoned them all into a conference room, before closing the door for privacy.

"I'm Detective Shields, I spoke with you girls a few days ago."

The four friends nodded in unison, sitting ramrod straight as they turned their entire focus on the detective in front of them.

"What are they being charged with exactly?" Ashley Marin asked, placing a comforting hand on her daughter's arm.

"They're being charged with assault with a deadly weapon, which is a class B felony. I have to be honest, we're not sure what the DA is going to recommend, but I would get a lawyer as soon as I could."

"I was under the impression the girls wouldn't be given any serious repercussions," Veronica said, casting a glance at the other parents.

"That's just what the DA is guessing right now, but there are special circumstances that we need to look at before we can make a final decision. If they get convicted of committing the actual assault, they could get a maximum five year sentence, if they're convicted of being an accessory, they could get a ten year sentence."

It was bad either way Spencer looked at it. She had given Ali the lighter, and they all had watched as Ali threw the stinkbomb in the garage. At the very least, they were accessories to the crime, and the penalty to that was worse than the actual crime.

"Could the girls get off with community service or probation?" Pam Fields asked. "The Cavanaugh's don't want any charges pressed, do they?"

"They don't, and the DA will take into consideration what they prefer, since they were the ones most affected by this."

The meeting wrapped up soon after. All Spencer wanted to do was be allowed the opportunity to escape to Toby's loft, and enjoy uninterrupted time with him.

"Girls, try not to be concerned with what Detective Shields said," Veronica assured them. "Most of what he said, was legalize talk."

Spencer and the other girls nodded as she hitched her bag up high on her shoulder. It had been a frightening talk with the detective, but she tried to find solace in the fact that her mother knew what she was talking about, and what an excellent lawyer she was.

* * *

Being in the loft, lying her head on Toby's chest, especially after a stressful night at the station, Spencer was trying to find peace in his touch, but she couldn't. What the investigator had said to she and the girls, was weighing heavily on her mind.

"Spence, what did the detective say?" Toby asked quietly, his hand weaving slowly through her hair as she laid there, trying _not_ to think about the colossal nightmare her life had taken.

"That if I we were an accessory to the crime, we would get ten years probably, and if we were the ones that were responsible for throwing the stink bomb, we would get five years."

Toby was quiet as he continued to stroke Spencer's hair between his fingers. It was terrifying enough to imagine himself being sentenced to a lengthy prison term, but seeing Spencer subjected to the same fate? It was unacceptable.

"What did your mother say about it?"

"Toby, I need to ask you something," Spencer said, ignoring his question. "And I need you to be honest with me, okay?"

Toby nodded. "Of course."

"Are you keeping something from me? I just have this feeling that something is wrong, and you're not telling me."

Toby sighed, taking his hand off Spencer's head as he ran a hand over his face. He hadn't wanted to worry Spencer by telling her the demands that A was placing on him, but he also knew that he couldn't go to that place again, where he lied to her, and ruined his relationship with her.

"A has been texting me," he admitted, digging in his pocket for his phone, and placing it in her outstretched hand. "Telling me to do things for them."

"What kind of things, Toby?" Spencer asked quietly, shifting her position so she was sitting up, facing him head on.

"Injecting drugs into the shots for Emily's shoulder, messing with your car brakes, and spying on Aria's brother, sending a file to the PD about Hanna's mother."

"What's their angle?"

"If I do those things, they won't sent that picture of the lighter to the DA. If I don't, they'll send it to the DA, and it will be another nail in my coffin."

"Oh, Toby," Spencer whispered, running her fingers through his hair as she leaned against him, lying her head on his shoulder. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know. But I _do _know that I can't allow anything to happen to you girls under my watch."

"But," Spencer said, struggling to put all the pieces together in her sleep-deprived brain. "That means that A-"

"Sends the picture, and it will be more physical evidence against me."

"Because the lighter was planted in your truck."

"Right."

"Toby, you can't do that. You can't _not _do those things because-"

"Spence, I don't care what happens to me, all I care about is making sure you are protected. I'm going to say no."


	16. Chapter 16

_1 Month Later_

It was a day that Spencer never wanted to see come to fruition, as she and Toby pulled into the parking lot of her mother's downtown office, first to discuss the DA's decision regarding the case against she and the girls, and second to discuss strategy with Toby regarding his upcoming pre-trial hearing.

"Listen," Spencer said, putting the car into park as she turned to face her boyfriend. "Whatever my Mom says, we have to take her word about this. She _knows_ what she's talking about."

Toby nodded, his jaw tight. "I know that. It's not her I'm worried about."

"Well," Spencer said, "it's not _me _I'm worried about, either."

Toby nodded, his eyes momentarily misting over before he took her hand and squeezed it gently. "I know, thank you."

Spencer smiled, before opening her door, ready to face the proverbial music, as she and Toby walked hand-in-hand through the parking lot and into her mother's high-end office building.

Inside, the overly friendly receptionist signed them in before directing them to Veronica's private office. She was on the phone when they walked in, but gestured for them to take the two chairs that were pulled up close to her desk.

"Okay, Spencer," Veronica said, turning to her daughter once she had gotten off the phone. "I got a call back from the DA, and instead of sentencing you girls to any jail time, they are recommending one year probation for each of you, and a period of community service."

Spencer nodded, releasing the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. It was better than she'd expected, at the very least she had been anticipating spending a few days in the county jail, but getting off with probation and community service was better than she'd ever dreamed.

"How long do we have to do the community service?"

"A moth for each of you. Every day after school you'll be going to a burn hospital and seeing first hand what traumatic burns can do to people, and the effect it has on their families."

_This must be my mother's sick idea of a joke, _Spencer thought, as she rested her hand on her chin thoughtfully. "Okay."

All things considered, Spencer knew how lucky she and her friends were to avoid prosecution, but she also knew better than anyone, that an incident like that, would follow her for the rest of her life.

"Who's my probation officer?"

Veronica reached into her desk and pulled out a business card with the name of the officer printed on it. "You have to call him twice every week. When you call is up to you, as long as it's twice a week."

Spencer nodded, pocketing the card. "Okay. Any conditions I have to know about?

"Yes. You cannot be caught out anytime after ten, and you cannot use any items that could potentially start or cause a fire. Once the probationary period is over, those restrictions are lifted."

Spencer nodded. "Thank you, Mom."

Veronica nodded. "Don't thank me, thank the DA that they decided to give you and the girls a major deal."

Spencer nodded, leaning into Toby's shoulder as her mother typed something into her computer before turning her chair in Toby's direction.

"I talked to Darrel Windsor. He'll potentially be prosecuting the case if it goes to trial. He's willing to offer you a plea deal if that's the direction you want to go in."

"What kind of deal?" Spencer asked, speaking over Toby.

"If you plead guilty to the charge, they'll recommend that you be sentenced to a two year prison term, nothing more nothing less."

Toby shook his head, his jaw set tight as he clenched his hand into a fist. "I'm not going to admit to something I haven't done."

"But, Toby," Spencer said quietly, meeting his hardened gaze with her soft one. "This is a big break. It's better than a ten year sentence, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is," Toby nodded, "but I won't admit to something I had no part in."

"Well, they know that they won't likely get a ten year sentence anyway," Veronica cut in. "But the sentence won't be as good as the two year one, that's for sure."

"Are you expecting this to end in conviction?"

"To be honest, yes." Toby bowed his head in defeat, as he felt Spencer rub his arm, whispering sweet words of nothing in his ear to comfort him, but he was beyond that.

"There's enough evidence to go to trial?"

"Yes. The jury needs to find that you did this beyond a reasonable doubt, and with your finger prints on the lighter, it will be hard to convince a jury of anything else."

Her tone was fixed, her face showing nothing but professional sympathy as she waited for Toby to speak next.

"What about self-defense?" Spencer asked, jumping into the conversation when it was clear that Toby was beyond speech.

"It would be impossible to prove that, honey."

"Would it be possible to convince a judge to let go of the case if the lodge agrees to a private settlement?" Toby asked, grasping onto any straw that he could.

"The only deal that we could work out, is a reduced sentence, but the judge won't go for a deal like that."

Toby nodded. "Okay."

Spencer watched, his face morphing to one of relaxation to devastation as a few tears slid down his face. Carefully, she reached over and wiped them from his face. "Shh, baby, it's okay. It's going to be okay."

Toby met her gaze gratefully as he squeezed her hand. "How long is the pre-trial hearing going to take?"

"The judge has to gather the evidence to prove that the case has enough sustenance to go to trial. After that, the trial date is set. The hearing should only last a day or two at most."

Spencer nodded, leaning her head on Toby's shoulder. "When _is _the hearing?"

"In a few days. The date for the actual trial will be determined if and when the judge decides to go foreword with that, but probably within a few months."

* * *

The meeting wrapped up soon after. Spencer was surprised her bodily limbs still worked, considering how the majority of them felt like Jello-O. Climbing into the driver's seat, she sighed, before turning to face Toby, and was stunned when she was met with his red-rimmed eyes, as tears pricked at the corners of his eyes.

"Tobes?" Spencer whispered, trying to reach for hand again, but he pulled it out of her grasp almost instantly. "Toby, hey, talk to me."

"There's nothing to talk about," he said, his voice shaking as he turned his head to stare out the window. "I'm fine, Spence," he said determinedly, as he wiped his eyes.

"No, you're not."

_Yes. _I am," he insisted. "All I want is to get through the hearing, okay?"

"Okay, but you won't talk about it," Spencer said gently. "And when you don't talk about things, something is wrong."

"Can we talk about it later, please?" She was about to argue, about to insist that they have that talk now, but when she saw his bottom lip begin to shake, she withdrew her planned attack, and instead settled for wrapping her arms around him. "I'm scared, Spence."

"I know, I know," she soothed, rubbing his back.


	17. Chapter 17

Spencer supposed that people from all walks of life in similar situations, tried to object and say they weren't guilty of the crimes they were accused of. In the situation she was in with Toby, Spencer _knew _beyond a shadow of any reasoning, that he was innocent.

It was comforting having that knowledge sealed tight in her heart, but it did absolutely nothing for her frayed nerves when she was brutally reminded that they still had to climb a hurdle and convince a judge _and _jury to believe it, too.

"You can wear this white button up with the black pants," Spencer said, as she sorted through all of Toby's formal-looking clothing, looking for the perfect one to show up to for the first day of the legal proceedings. "And you can wear these shoes here," she added.

Toby nodded, watching as she turned his closet into complete disarray as she threw clothes onto his bed, looking for the perfect combination. "I like those."

"Good," she smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes like it normally would have. "My Mom said no jewelry or bracelets."

"Okay." Toby slipped off the black leather bracelets he usually wore. "What time do we have to be there?"

"In an hour. We still have time."

Even though it was only the pre-trial hearing, in many ways, it represented the first of many days to come in court. Veronica was all but convinced at the end of the hearing, the judge would find enough reason to proceed with a trial.

"Do you want to go downstairs and get some coffee?"

Toby shook his head, clenching and unclenching his hands as he paced pointlessly around the small space. "No, thank. If you want to, you can. But I'm okay."

Spencer nodded, as she quietly hung the unused clothes back up in the closet. "My Mom said the hearing for this should only take a day or two."

"I know."

"The girls are going to be there."

"That's good," Toby said, looking pleased. "They can support you."

"And you," she instantly contradicted.

Toby nodded, pulling her briefly into a hug before grabbing the clothes they had selected, and disappearing into the bathroom for a quick shower.

With the rare privacy she had been granted, it gave her more time to think as she finished cleaning up his bedroom, before going out to the living room and sinking down onto the soft sofa.

"Are you ready?" He asked, a few minutes later when he had completed his shower and was presentable.

"Yeah."

Driving down to the courthouse was a slow, tense ride. Spencer couldn't help herself when she kept shooting glances at Toby. His face was a carefully controlled mask as they pulled up alongside the curb.

Inside, they were directed to a courtroom on the second floor. Her mother was waiting for them outside. "Are you ready?"

Toby nodded.

"Okay, Spencer, the girls are here. You can take a seat with them. He has to sit with me up front, okay?"

Spencer nodded, as she took that opportunity to press a quick kiss to his lips, before letting him walk in ahead of her with her mother in tow. Spencer waited for a few seconds to collect her thoughts, before joining the girls who were seated near the front row.

"Hey," Spencer said quietly, one eye on her friends, the other eye on Toby who had taken a seat with Veronica at the defense table.

"Hey," Aria said, squeezing her shoulder.

"Thanks for being here."

"Like we would miss this," Hanna said, rolling her eyes.

"We love him, and we love you," Emily said.

Spencer smiled, but didn't have a chance to comment when the judge made his first appearance on the bench, signaling quiet in the courtroom.

The proceedings were slow at first, monotonous in its length. When the prosecutor, a smirking man in his forties, called his first witness, the owner of the lodge, things started to pick up in speed.

The owner confirmed Toby's presence on the property, and also that she and the other three girls were there too. It was when they called a forensic expert to the stand, and they matched up the finger prints to the lighter, and also fibers from Toby's black A hoodie to the area where Toby had been in the woods, that she could feel her heart begin to race. The forensic evidence was bad, the physical evidence was even worse. It wasn't an open and shut case, and that's what scared her. There were many facets to think about.

To Spencer's surprise, the judge made his decision after only a day of testimony. Not to her surprise, the judge ruled that a trial _would _happen. It wasn't surprising, but it was still disheartening as Spencer watched Toby's shoulders slump. She wished that she could be up front with he and her mom, comforting him.

"We'll see you back in three weeks for jury selection," the judge said, addressing each and every single person in the courtroom.

"In three _weeks_?" Aria whispered. "Isn't that fast?"

Spencer nodded. "But at least it's over with instead of having to wait for months."

"Were you expecting anything different?" Spencer asked later that night, as she laid with Toby on his bed.

"No."

Spencer nodded, laying her head on his chest. "My Mom said that a speedy trial would be better because she already has all the evidence she needs to mount a defense."

"Yeah, I know."

"What's going to happen if the jury convicts you?"

"I'll be handcuffed in court, and they'll probably transfer me back to county, at least until the sentencing."

"Did my Mom say how long she thinks you'll get?"

"She doesn't think it will be ten years, but probably five maximum."

It was terrifying to imagine him getting _any _jail time, even if it wasn't the ten that was promised earlier.

"Is she expecting that?"

"I have no idea. I think so."

Spencer closed her eyes, nodding. "What do _you _think?"

"I think it will be a miracle if I survive this unscathed."


	18. Chapter 18

A trial. A Court of law. Judges. Jury selection. And now opening arguments. It was the latest nail in the coffin as Spencer settled herself in between her friends for the first day of opening arguments. The jury had been selected the day before, and the judge was eager to begin the proceedings as quickly as possible.

"This case," the lead prosecutor said as he strutted around the floor. "Is nothing but finding out the truth, and the _truth_," he added, "and the person responsible, is sitting over there," he turned his torso and pointed in Toby's direction.

"Harsh," Aria said, looking disgusted as she bit down on her thumb.

"I know," Spencer whispered, looking equally outraged.

It was difficult enough having the love of her life on trial for a crime he didn't commit, but hearing him be character assassinated was nearly as hard, as she glared her disapproval at the prosecutor as he walked in front of her.

"The forensic evidence that you will hear during this trial, proves that the defendant, Toby Cavanaugh, planned and executed this fire, the fire that endangered countless lives, and cost millions in damages."

It was a relief to Spencer when her mother was finally allowed her turn to speak for her client, when the prosecutor had finished after nearly two hours of monotonous dialogue.

Unlike the prosecutor's frenzied pace during his opening argument, her mother stayed almost completely stationary as she spoke, unless she had to refer to a billboard she had set up to organize her evidence.

"Where is the evidence that points to my client even being in the vicinity of the area where the lighter in question was found?" Veronica pointed out harshly. "He was in the forest, he wasn't anywhere near where the fire started."

And then she went to a place that Spencer hadn't even anticipated, wasn't even prepared for. "This case is about a cruel setup concerning my client, and the public's vendetta against him."

_Wow, _Spencer thought, trading glances with the girls as she bit down on her thumb. _She went there, now she has to prove it. _

Sitting through the rest of the opening arguments, wasn't nearly as hard as Spencer had originally envisioned. The girls had been there through the entire morning and afternoon, and of course she had Toby there, even though he was being forced to sit in front with her mother.

"Your mother really knows how to stir the water," Hanna said, as they walked down the courthouse steps. "Making the case out to be a setup? How is she going to prove that?"

Spencer shrugged as she slid into the front seat. "I don't know, but really, it's what happened."

"I know, but that was A," Aria pointed out. "Our parents are clueless when it comes to A. That's how we wanted it, remember?"

Spencer nodded. "Well, now A's mind games have resulted in someone being put on trial."

"There are things we can do, _right_?" Emily asked. "If he gets convicted?"

"Dont' even say it," Spencer moaned, running her hand over her face. "I can't even go there right now, okay?"

Emily nodded softly, rubbing her arm. " I'm sorry, Spence."

"It's okay."

The possibility of conviction was _always _on the forefront of Spencer's mind, especially when her mother estimated the trial would only last a few weeks at most. The thought of Toby being sentenced to years in jail, was something that her mind couldn't even begin to process.

"Do you want to hit up the Brew and get some caffeine?" Hanna asked, in a clear attempt to change the subject.

"Sure," Spencer nodded.

* * *

"Thanks, Mom," Spencer whispered into the phone, as she cradled it against her ear. "I know. I'll be in school tomorrow, I won't forget. Love you, too."

"That your Mom?" Toby asked, as he came out into the living room from the bathroom. His hair still an unruly mess from the towel dry it had received.

"Yeah," Spencer confirmed. "I just thought it would look good if I asked if I could stay here tonight."

"And she was okay with that?"

Spencer nodded. "She seemed to be."

"Good," Toby grinned. "It's about time."

Having a relationship with Veronica Hastings had never been an easy feat, but ever since she had started representing him in his seemingly never ending legal battle, the two had forged a tense but albeit steady trust.

Spencer smiled, nodding her agreement, before Toby took it upon himself to tow her in the direction of _their _bedroom, as he called it.

"I like your bedroom better than mine," Spencer remarked, as she surveyed the tiny but cozy space as she watched him strip off his shirt and pants until he was in nothing but his boxers.

"Well, yours is sorely lacking _one _thing," he agreed.

"Being here?"

"Yes."

She smiled, before taking her customary place on the left side of the bed, and watched as he flopped down on the right, before she scooted over, and laid her head on his bare chest, and listened to the sounds of his beating heart.

"I love you," she murmured softly, as she lifted her head briefly to capture his lips in a slow embrace of their own, before she laid her head back down.

"I love you too," he breathed, tightening his arm around her as he kissed the crown of her head. "Forever."

For a few moments, there was silence as both of them contemplated the events of the day, and what the morning promised to bring. It wasn't easy, falling asleep and knowing that their time together might be numbered by the cruel hands of time.

"Are you scared?"

"Of going to prison?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"A little. It's different than jail. More strict, more things can happen than in the county jail."

She nodded. "Right. Do you think...do you think my Mom is right?"

"I know what people think of me, Spence," he sighed. "I know the impression they have of me, and I know that can influence their decision."

"But even if _that _happens-"

"The maximum would be five years."

Spencer nodded, forcibly swallowing back the lump in her throat as she massaged the tears out of her eyes with the back of her hand. "There's parole, right? And-and probation?"

"If your mother is able to whip out another miracle, yes. Now, sleep," he added, as he drew the simple dark blue comforter over her frame.

"Yes, sir," she said.


	19. Chapter 19

Toby sighed as he carefully examined the silver CD that was hooked around his finger, as he twirled it carefully in front of his gaze. Spencer, perhaps sensing his reaction, hadn't told him beforehand that she and the girls were going to break into the PD and search for evidence that would exonerate him. Instead, when she had arrived the night before, she had slid the CD case across to him, a sly smile on her face.

He hadn't looked at it yet; was too nervous. The evidence or lack thereof on the CD, could potentially provide a home run for him in court, or just doom him to further failure where his never ending legal battle was concerned.

A sharp knock on the door, accompanied by heavy footsteps, brought him out of the daze he had been enjoying previously. "Hey," Caleb said, appearing in his line of vision. "You wanted to see me?"

In answer, Toby threw him the CD. Caleb caught it effortlessly as he examined Spencer's neat handwriting. "What is this?"

"The girls broke into the Rosewood PD last night, and snatched this security footage from the lodge."

"Are you serious?" Caleb asked, looking impressed.

Toby nodded. "Yeah. I haven't looked at it yet. But I figured if we loaded it into your computer, we could examine what this thing has on it."

Caleb's hazel eyes lit up enthusiastically as he set his army-style bag down on the table and unpacked his laptop, set it down on the table and loaded the disk into the player, before gesturing for Toby to join him.

"What time did you and Spencer arrive at the lodge?"

"Around ten," Toby replied, visions of that night still fresh in his mind. "The girls got there around eleven."

"Okay," Caleb replied absentmindedly as he expertly sped the video up until it was at the designated time. "Is that when you two left?"

Toby nodded, remembering the setup he and Spencer had played on Mona, and when their path had led them into the woods, thus beginning their current nightmare. "We were setting up Mona."

"I heard about it. Who are those two right there?"

Toby leaned in, squinting his eyes as they focused on the two figures that had walked into the view of the camera: One, a medium-sized man or woman, and two, a shorter man or woman.

The two watched as one disappeared in the direction of the woods, and the other easily and quickly, slid a crowbar into the only exit from the lodge, before taking the phony invite and lighting it on fire.

"Is that the lighter?"

Toby nodded, his jaw set tight as he watched the destruction of the lodge happen right before his gentle eyes. "Yeah. Does the camera go into the forest at all?"

"No," Caleb shook his head. "They only had cameras around the perimeter, nowhere near where you and Spencer were."

Toby nodded in resignation. "The only thing the video proves is that there could have been more than two people in that forest."

"Reasonable doubt," Caleb supplied.

"It's my only shot."

Caleb turned to him, a quizzical expression on his face. "What do you mean?"

"The forensic evidence is piling up against me. The prosecutor is making a convincing case, but it all depends on what the jury is perceiving of this."

"Harsh," Caleb shook his head. "What do you plan on doing with this CD?"

"I think Spencer was going to leave it at her mother's office." It was a risky move, but worth trying, especially if could bring more time on their hands.

"Oh?"

"It's not foolproof, but it's the best shot we have at getting our edge back."

The fact that the trial was only expected to last a few weeks, was both a blessing and a curse. It meant that he didn't have to worry about a long, drawn out trial, but it also meant that he would be hearing his fate perhaps sooner than he was ready.

In theory, he didn't think he would _ever _be ready to hear those fateful words from the jury, but he supposed it would be better sooner rather than later.

"Well, this is your best shot," Caleb sighed, sliding the CD back into its case and handing it back to Toby.

"I hope so."

* * *

Setting the plates in their correct place under the freshly pressed table mats, arranging the forks and spoons in their universally accepted positions, it was a process that Spencer found comforting as she went through the mundane motions in the dining room.

"Okay, okay, thank you," Veronica said, as she came into the kitchen, her phone plastered to her ear as she hung it up. "Spencer, I didn't realize you were home."

"Yeah," Spencer said hesitantly. "For a little while now. Is anything wrong, Mom?"

"I-I don't know."

"What does that mean?"

"I just got off the phone with a back channel contact I have at Rosewood PD."

"And?" Spencer asked, feeling her blood pressure begin to rise. "What did they say?"

"You need to call Toby, Spencer, and get him here soon."

"Mom, why?" Spencer demanded, feeling herself begin to panic.

"They found fibers that positively matched the black hoodie that he was wearing."


	20. Chapter 20

Spencer could feel her pulse race, and blood begin to pound thickly in her ear as she typed out a quick message to Toby on her phone. A part of her felt numb, and another, larger part of her, was frustrated as she aggressively ran her hand through her thick hair.

"Mom, what does that even mean?" She demanded, feeling sick as she typed out a reply to Toby's reply text. "They found fibers?"

"Where the lighter was found in the woods, they found fibers that they positively ID'd as belonging to the hoodie that Toby was wearing that night."

"How do you know this?" Spencer asked, surprised at how weak her voice sounded as she sunk down into the bar stool.

"From a contact I have at Rosewood PD. They're in touch with the prosecutor, and those are the findings that the prosecutor came up with. Is Toby on his way?"

Spencer nodded. "Yes."

Toby lived on the other side of town above the Brew. It would take him only a few minutes to get there, but a part of her felt like those few minutes would be closer to an eternity.

Veronica chose to keep quiet about the specifics of the find until Toby arrived, even though Spencer pressed her for more details, she kept quiet, calmly sipping on her Green Tea beverage, and glancing every now and then at her cell phone.

When the faint rumble of Toby's truck caught their attention, Spencer exhaled in relief and went to open the back door for him. His face showcased nothing but the grim reality of what they were facing, as he took her in his arms for a brief second, before letting go.

"Have a seat, Toby," Veronica said, taking a seat herself at the dining room table. "Did Spencer tell you what I needed to see you about?"

Toby nodded, his hand clutching Spencer's as they sat side by side. "The police found fibers from the hoodie I was wearing?"

"Mostly, this is about intimidation, but the forensics team _did _find those fibers."

"What does that mean for the trial?"

"It's going to be submitted into evidence for the jury to hear," Veronica sighed. "Probably, they will try to strike up a deal with you."

"What kind of _deal_?" Toby asked.

"A reduced sentence for a confession."

Toby shook his head at the same time that Spencer did. It was bad enough that A had crashlanded him into this position, but there was no way in hell he would fall for A's bait and admit to a crime he had no part in.

"No. There's no way."

"Mom, what else can we do?" Spencer asked, her grip on Toby's hand tightening as a result of her nerves.

I'm doing everything I possibly can, but right now, it's irrefutable that you were there. Forensics does not lie, and they found hard evidence to support their case."

Toby sighed, shaking his head, fighting off the feeling of panic that was swirling around inside the pit of his stomach. It was bone-chilling to that everything had piled up against him so quickly, and to realize that the prosecution had more than enough to convict him.

"Is there anything that can override what they found?"

"At this point, no."

Spencer sighed, rubbing Toby's arm comfortingly as he leaned into her touch, seeking even the smallest amount of serenity he could, even if it was fleeting.

"Mom, how much longer is the trial going to last?"

"With this new piece of evidence, everyone will want it to end sooner rather than later. The judge is pushing for the end of next week."

Spencer nodded. "Okay."

The bombshell conversation ended soon after. Spencer and Toby made a hasty escape to the safety of his truck, to go back home to the loft.

"Toby, I know this _looks _bad," Spencer said, once they had settled themselves in his bedroom. He, with a small cup of water, she with a Latte he had gotten her downstairs at the Brew. "But-"

"Looks?" Toby scoffed softly. "Spence, it _is _bad."

"My mother is a legal genius. If anyone can figure out a way to stop this, it would be her."

"What if she can't?" Toby asked, his voice and posture hopeless as he positioned his arm under Spencer's head as a pillow.

"Shh," Spencer whispered, placing a finger to his lips, before replacing it with her lips. "Don't think about it. Not until it actually happens, okay?"

Under her gentle direction, Toby nodded hesitantly, his eyes tearing over before he forcibly squeezed them away.

"Okay," he whispered.

* * *

Monday promised to be a tough day in court, and it had barely begun. The prosecution had settled its case, ending with their explosive forensic evidence concerning the newly analyzed fibers from the hoodie.

"Your Honor," Veronica said, once the trial had officially been handed over to the defense side. "I would like to petition the court to dismiss this case."

It was a legal move that was as routine as it was hopeful, even though Veronica had warned both Spencer and Toby, the odds of dismissal were slim to none.

"Approach the bench," the judge said.

"What does that mean?" Hanna asked, critically examining one of her cuticles as she turned to look at Spencer.

"They're having a sidebar conference," Spencer said, watching her mother carefully as she and the prosecution argued with the judge over her motion.

Not surprisingly, the judge settled back in his seat as he faced the room at large, and denied the motion to have the case dismissed. It was disappointing, but not altogether surprising, as Spencer watched Toby's shoulders slump in defeat, as Veronica gave him a sympathetic nod.

"We would like to submit into evidence, a video that was left on my desk and was reviewed by Mr. Barren," Veronica said, referring to the judge, who nodded.

The video, to Spencer's relief, showed the security footage from the night of the fire, and showed the two people that appeared for those brief seconds before the fire was started.

"We checked with Landstar Security, the team that was in charge of security for the lodge, and they informed us that their coverage didn't extend to the forest surrounding the lodge, and where the lighter was found. But, you see those two people in the immediate vicinity. Two people who could have planted that lighter on my client, framing him."


	21. Chapter 21

Closing arguments dawned upon them faster than either Spencer or Toby were prepared for. Her mother had called a plethora of witnesses to back up her claim that Toby had been the victim of a cruel setup, and now the moment of truth was upon them, as each side presented their final arguments for the jury.

The prosecutor, Daniel Townsend, rambled on and on for hours about how the evidence was right before the jury's searching eyes, and that Toby was a thoughtless coward who had planned and executed the blaze, putting lives at risk, and causing millions in damages.

"If you want to know the _real _truth about what happened the night of April 30, 2012, look no further than the man sitting over there," he vowed, directing his penetrating gaze to Toby, who met his gaze calmly. "The forensic evidence is indisputable, the fibers that were found on the scene, prove his presence on the premise. Your only duty as members of this state, and of this jury, is to convict."

The court, due to the late hour in which the prosecutor had finished, broke for lunch briefly, before Spencer's mother got her chance to refute everything the prosecutor had said.

"It's like he _never _shut up," Hanna said, rolling her eyes as she bit into her blueberry muffin. "I hate guys that do that, that never stop talking."

"Well, it's kind of his job, Han," Aria said, taking a sip of her coffee.

"He's good," Toby admitted, his ocean-blue eyes downcast as he folded his arm over Spencer's. "But your mother, she'll have a better _offense_."

"That's the position my Mom likes to play," Spencer mused, leaning her head briefly on Toby's shoulder as she exhaled softly. "It's almost over, isn't it?"

Toby nodded. "Yes."

In many ways, it was liberating to know that the end of the trial was nearing its conclusion, but in a thousand other ways, it was terrifying. Any day when the verdict was reached, it could spell the end of his freedom for years to come, and it could spell months or even years of appeals ahead of him.

"We all love you, Toby," Emily said bracingly, as she looked at Aria and Hanna for visual confirmation.

"Trust me, I wouldn't be sitting in a stuffy courtroom for eight hours five days a week if I didn't feel something for you," Hanna said.

"Yeah, we know you didn't do what they said you did," Aria said. "It's a bunch of crap."

Toby nodded. "I'm glad to hear someone else besides me say that."

Being in court eight hours a day five days a week, was mentally draining. It was also depleting to hear people continually bash his character, as if he wasn't even in the room. It was a side of the law he had never been introduced to before, and he would be glad if he never went there again.

Spencer nodded, distracted by the sharp buzzing her phone made inside her pocket. Picking it up and glancing at the screen, she saw the highlighted text from her mother, signaling the end of their lunch break.

"My Mom," she explained, in answer to the quizzical looks the group was giving her. "We have to get back."

It had been a nice reprieve, but it had ended all too soon. Thankfully, it was her mother's turn on the floor next, her chance to shoot down every single accusation the prosecution had hurled at them.

Spencer had never before seen that side of her mother. The rough and tough lawyer who didn't hold anything back, as she used illustrations and diagrams to make her point, and to shine on her client's innocence.

"You have all seen with your own eyes, the video evidence that points to not one, but _two _individuals on the premise right before the blaze. It's simple: You put on some gloves, plant the lighter on the more likely suspect. It's foolproof, and it's cowardly, and that's what happened to my client. A cruel setup."

Those had been the words her mother had used for the entire duration of the trial: a cruel setup. And while Spencer couldn't agree more, it was difficult gauging the reactions of the jurors, and if they believed it or not.

For the most part, they had stayed still while Daniel Townsend had presented his closing argument, but when her mother had appeared on the floor, Spencer immediately noticed a shift in the jurors as they immediately started jotting down notes, and paying rapt attention to her every word.

"I am not going to try to deny the existence of the forensic evidence that exists in this case," Veronica said. "I am not going to try to sugar coat anything, but I will tell you to think about those two people in the video when you go into deliberations."

She finished up shortly after. Spencer could see from the calm and composed way she held herself, that she was confident in the performance that she had given, and Spencer couldn't agree more. It had been extremely believable and extremely well thought out.

After that, the judge gave his instructions to the jury, and sent them back for the first day of deliberations, before dismissing the court.

* * *

Spencer knew it was out of their hands, as hard as it was to admit that. Whatever impressions the jury had gotten, would be stuck with them all through their discussions during deliberations, and while the verdict was read.

"How long do you think?" Spencer asked her mother, as she, the girls and Toby settled around her home.

"It's hard to tell in cases like these," Veronica replied. "If it comes relatively soon, it could mean conviction. If it comes in a few hours to a few days even, it could mean acquittal. We just don't know."

"Anything could happen?"

"Anything."

And those were the words that she held onto as they ordered pizza and tried to enjoy those few hours of bliss before the darkness fell.

"The judge called," Veronica said. "The jury has a verdict."


	22. Chapter 22

The world seemed to spin in slow motion as the girls, plus Toby and Spencer's mother, made a hasty albeit _slow _retreat to their vehicles. It wasn't right, and Spencer knew it, and that was why she could feel her heart thundering painfully against her ribcage.

The jury had only been deliberating for a few hours. For them to have combed through the evidence so quickly, and come to a decision, represented a great nervousness in Spencer as she practiced the deep breathing exercises that she had long ago memorized.

"It's going to be okay," Spencer assured Toby, reaching for his hand as they sat together in the backseat. "It's going to be. I _promise_." She repeated that under her breath throughout the duration of the car ride, almost like a mantra.

"I know," he replied, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand as he leaned over, kissing the side of her head, before letting her lay her head on his shoulder. "It will be, either way."

The idea of prison in itself, didn't scare him. It was the moments that he would miss if he went: birthdays, graduations, everything in between. Spencer was graduating high school in the fall, he would miss that if he was sentenced to time, and those were the things that weighed heavily on his mind as they rode.

"It'll be okay," Spencer whispered, sounding like she was trying to convince herself of that as much as she was him.

"It will be."

In the driver's seat, her mother let them have their time together, and kept quiet through the ride, unless she had to accept a call from a client or someone from the courthouse. Spencer was grateful that her mother was letting them have their time, especially with how unpredictable the verdict promised to be.

The drive downtown was uneventful. Spencer alternated between anxiously biting down on her thumb, and whispering her repeated mantra to herself and Toby. She had never felt the kind of nervousness that she was suffering from now, as she looked out the window at the bustling street, and the people walking them who were blissfully unaware of the nightmare that was swirling inside of her brain.

"The girls are behind us," she said, trying to start _any _conversation, even if it was a mundane one as she recognized the landmarks that signaled they were close.

"They're _great_," he said, sincerely, as he locked eyes with her.

Two years ago, the thought of engaging in _any _kind of relationship or friendship with the girls, had been unthinkable to him. Now, it was second nature to him to wake up with Spencer by his side, and have coffee with all four of the girls by his side.

He wouldn't trade their love and acceptance for anything in the world, and he wouldn't trade the overwhelming feeling of protection and forgiveness he felt toward them, especially toward Spencer.

"Spencer, Toby," Veronica said, as the car came to an abrupt stop. "We're here."

The two of them had been so wrapped up in their own, peaceful world that they hadn't noticed as her mother had pulled into a tight space alongside the curb, and had put the car into park.

"Okay," Spencer said, sighing as she gave Toby a tight smile. "You ready?"

Toby shook his head, his jaw set tight. "No." With a resigned sigh, he gripped Spencer's hand in his, and stepped out of the sanctuary of the vehicle.

Looking over her shoulder, Spencer saw, much to her relief, the three girls stepping out of their car, and together, the small party walked up the courthouse steps, presenting a united front against the prosecution, and most importantly, A.

The courtroom where the verdict was being read, was on the third floor. Somehow they all managed to squeeze into an elevator, and endured the all too short ride to the third floor.

It ended too soon, as far as Spencer was concerned, as her mother led them to the correct courtroom, before stopping outside it and turned to her group.

"Toby, you'll be up front with me," she explained. "Spencer, there are enough seats in there, that you and the girls can grab one together."

Spencer nodded. "Thanks, mom," she whispered, not trusting her voice enough to speak any louder.

Inside, the prosecutor was engaging in a one-way conversation with the judge, but immediately stopped when he glimpsed the small party entering. Stepping away from the bench, he took a seat at his table, folding his hands neatly in front of him.

Spencer followed her friends to the same seat they had occupied for nearly the entire duration of the trial. Taking a deep breath, she watched as Toby and her mother took their seats a few seats ahead of her.

"Thank you all for being here," the judge said, addressing the room at large. "I would like to thank the men and women of this jury for their service to this community during these proceedings. I would also like to warn that during the reading of this verdict, if there is any interruption, the bailiff has the obligation to remove anyone who is interrupting these proceedings."

"Spence, breathe," Aria whispered, rubbing her shoulder, seeing how pale her friend was, as she fixated her eyes on her boyfriend.

"Does the jury have their written verdict?"

"We do, your honor," the foreperson said, leaning foreword in his chair and handing it to the bailiff, who handed it to the judge so he could announce it.

"Superior Court of Pennsylvania, in the matter of the people of the state of Pennsylvania, versus Toby Allen Cavanaugh, case number V82012311. We the jury in the above and titled cause, find the defendant Toby Allen Cavanaugh _guilty_ of the crime of arson in violation of penal code section 451, B a felony."

A gut-wrenching sob filled the otherwise stunned courtroom. It took Spencer a few seconds to realize that it was _her _who was making those sounds as her entire body shook with her sobs.

Vaguely, she could feel three sets of arms encircle her protectively, as she put her head on Aria's shoulder and let the sobs that were wracking her body, overtake her completely.

It was a verdict that she had tried to prepare herself for, but at the same time, was _completely _unprepared for as she watched Toby's posture crumble as he repeatedly swiped his hands over his eyes.

"The defendant is remanded into custody," the judge said, as a bailiff came up behind Toby and handcuffed his hands behind his back. "We will see everyone back here in three weeks, on the twenty-fourth, for sentencing."

Through the thick haze of tears, Spencer saw Toby glance over at her. An expression of pain and longing on his face, no doubt longing to hold her in his arms and wipe her tears away, but the enforced law made that impossible, as he allowed the bailiffs to take him out a side door in the courtroom.

* * *

After the judge had dismissed the court, Spencer, her mother and girls, made their way back to the Hastings family mansion. Every fiber of her being had firmly believed that she would be celebrating Toby's win in court, but now Spencer knew she had to face the reality that they had lost, that Toby was now behind bars that night, awaiting sentencing.

"Spence, eat something," Emily said, sliding a plate of pasta over to her friend.

"I'm not hungry," Spencer insisted, her voice broken as she pushed the proffered food away from her sight.

"Spencer, _eat_," her mother said, choosing that moment to reappear in the room. "Right now," she added, as she put the plate in front of Spencer.

"What about Toby?" Spencer demanded, furiously wiping her hand across her face. "What are you going to do?"

"I already filed an appeal with the judge. It has to go through some back channels, but it should be on his desk by Monday."

Spencer nodded, bowing her head as more waterworks cascaded down her face. "Okay," she finally said.


	23. Chapter 23

Perhaps sensing the delicate nature of the situation, Veronica allowed Spencer to take the rest of the week off from school, provided the girls drop off any homework she had to complete. Spencer was surprised that her mother was going so easy on her, especially considering how strict she was about making sure she excelled in perfect attendance.

"Hey," Aria said, as she trouped into Spencer's bedroom, followed by Emily and Hanna, who dumped their purses on the floor by Spencer's bed, as Aria laid down beside Spencer, who had remained curled up on her bed. "We brought all of your AP homework."

"Thanks," came Spencer's monotone reply as she switched to a sitting position on her bed to accept the generous pile of homework. "Is that all?"

"Yeah," Emily nodded. "Your Mom said that she's letting you take the rest of the week off."

Spencer nodded, as she leaned over and grabbed her pink and purple pencil from the nightstand, and began looking over the assignments her teacher had given her.

Most of it were problems that she had long ago memorized, but it was still refreshing to focus on something tangible, something that made absolute sense to her.

"And we also got you some rag mags," Hanna said, throwing the magazines on the bed. "And your favorite," she added, setting some Propel flavored water on the nightstand.

"Thank you," Spencer smiled gratefully.

Aria nodded, hugging Spencer's pillow close to her chest. "Yeah, anytime. You know that."

Spencer nodded. She _did _know that, and that meant the world to her, especially now. It was rare for her not to spring up in the morning, and get herself ready for school, but it was unthinkable to her now. She was grateful to her mother for allowing her this temporary reprieve.

"How are you, Spence?" Emily asked carefully.

Spencer shook her head, her beautiful brown eyes filling momentarily with tears before she wiped them away. "Not good," she admitted.

"I'm so sorry," Emily said, looking like she would start crying herself, as she wrapped her arms around her best friend.

"I know. It's not your fault," Spencer said, as she returned the hug.

"What is your Mom saying?" Aria asked.

Spencer shrugged as she wiped her hand across her eyes, feeling more than _seeing _how blotched and red her face was, from the endless crying she had endured in the last forty-eight hours.

"She made out an appeal to the judge. It's supposed to be on his desk first thing Monday morning, but there's no guarantee that it will work."

Emily nodded. "What else can she do?"

"Nothing, except try to negotiate with the prosecutor and judge for a light sentence, but with an arson charge and with how high profile it was, there's no promises."

And that was the scariest thing for her. There was no promises that Toby would be able to enjoy a lighter sentence, that he _wouldn't _spend the next four or five years in prison.

It physically hurt discussing the case now, it physically hurt thinking about the verdict and watching as he was led away from her for a second time. It was horrifying to wake up each morning and realize that it _wasn't _a bad nightmare, that it had actually happened.

"Have you seen him yet?" Hanna asked, uncharacteristically quiet as she studied her friend, gauging her reaction.

"No, not yet. They're not letting him have any visits except for my Mom, right now."

"Why?"

Spencer winced, as she distracted herself by taking a sip of her flavored water. "They have him on suicide watch. My Mom said it's nothing personal, it's regulation after a verdict like this."

Emily shook her head, biting her lip as she looked down, studying a chipped nail she had. "We had plans for my birthday," she said, her voice breaking. "This isn't fair! A did this, not him!"

Spencer nodded, her gorgeous eyes glistening with tears as she wiped them with her arm. "I know, believe me."

Thinking about the lost opportunities they would miss, was the hardest part of all for her as she tried to reconcile the fact that it was all up to the court as to how long Toby would be separated from her.

"Maybe if he's still in jail, we can go see him on your birthday," Aria suggested. "Can that happen?"

"Maybe," Spencer agreed. "My Mom's trying to get him off the suicide watch, right now."

It was her only hope, at that point. Having him be in that horrible place was bad enough, but being barred from seeing him, was the tip of the iceberg that she couldn't get past.

"Let''s go to the Grille," Aria suggested. "We can get some actual food, sound okay?"

Spencer shrugged, but nodded as she slid off her bed and grabbed her coat and knee-high boots.

* * *

Toby had thought that he would be used to being in the county jail by now, but it never failed to give him a shock when he woke up on a cot instead of an actual bed, and when he had to use the public showers in front of everyone.

Most importantly and to his dismay, he found that the old regime was still in place. Including being cuffed whenever he went anywhere. The only improvement was that they were allowing him to take meetings with Veronica in a conference room, instead of having to rely on the glass-to-glass meetings.

"Hi," Veronica said, already seated at the depressing gray table.

"Hey," Toby replied, as the guards directed him to the table, before stepping away behind the glass partition. "No offense, but why are you the only person I'm allowed to see?"

"It has nothing to do with you," Veronica assured him. "Right now, it's policy to put anyone that has been convicted of a felony, under suicide watch for a week."

"How long will I get?"

That had been weighing on his mind since the second he had heard that unthinkable word: guilty. It had taken a little while to sink in, but once it had, his mind had gone to that dark place where the future was all but uncertain.

"The DA is prepared to offer you a deal. A deal that, if I were you, I would grab."

"What?"

"They are recommending a three year prison term," Veronica began, "with one year served in county jail, and the other two years out on probation."

"So I'll be in one for year, and be out for the rest of the two years?"

"Correct."

"I'll miss everything," Toby said, his voice breaking. "Spencer's graduation..."

"I know," Veronica sighed. "But right now, it's the best deal that you can get. You won't go to prison, you'll be in county, and with the way the jails are with overcrowding, you'll be released early, I think."

There _was _that, and the fact that it would only be a year instead of the expected four or five years, but he would still miss the girl's graduations from high school, and birthdays.

"Is that a guarantee that I'll be out in a year?"

"Yes. The DA is willing to do that, and they might include time off for good behavior."

Toby nodded. "Okay."


	24. Chapter 24

The last thing Spencer truthfully felt like doing was plan a party, even if it was for one of her best friends, but her mother had all but pushed her out the door, and she would have felt guilty later had she not shown up.

It had been a rough week for her. Her waking hours were full of near constant internal torment as her mind played horrific mind games on her, games that included Toby being sentenced to years in jail, and A dreaming up new schemes to keep them apart.

When she was asleep, it was better. She could escape the near constant hell, even if it was only for a few sparse hours, and even if it came from a meager dose of cough syrup to ensure her slumber.

But walking into the Grille to meet the other girls and Paige to finalize arrangements, she was surprised to feel a strange sense of calm as she walked over to their private booth, perhaps it was getting back into a semi-regular schedule, or perhaps it was engaging in normal activities with her friends.

"Hey," Paige said, waving her over as she came closer. "We just got here, too."

"Oh. Good," Spencer replied, as she took a seat in between Hanna and Aria. "Where's Em?"

"Don't worry, she's with her Mom," Hanna said. "She doesn't suspect anything."

Spencer nodded, as she critically examined her cuticles. "Good. Where are we going to have it?"

"I was thinking about this property that my family owns," Paige said. "It's on a lake, and it's nice and secluded."

"Is it big enough to hold the entire swim team, plus all of our friends?" Aria asked, writing down in her phone, the ideas that were pouring back and forth between all of them.

"Oh, yeah," Paige assured her. "And Spencer," she added. "Are you going to be in charge of the guest list?"

"Yeah, I can do that."

"And Hanna, you and I can handle decorating, sound good?"

"Yeah," Hanna affirmed.

"Aria, can you send out the invites that Spencer makes up?"

"Sure."

"What about Jenna and Shana?" Spencer asked, recalling an earlier conversation she had had with Emily, about seeing them out together.

"I made it plain that Shana _and _Jenna aren't invited," Paige replied.

"Oh. Good," Spencer said quietly.

The mini-meeting ended soon after, with Paige going her separate way from the girls, and the girls sticking around the Grille to order some food and drinks.

"Hanna, you have to be quiet about this party," Spencer reminded her, as she glanced at her over the rim of her glass.

"Please," Hanna scoffed. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"No comment," Aria said, shaking her head in amusement. "Is it okay if I bring a plus one?"

"Who's your plus one?" Spencer inquired.

"Jake," Aria replied coyly.

"Of course," Spencer shrugged. "It would actually be _nice _to be in the same room as you two once in awhile."

"It's not you guys," Aria defended. "I just haven't wanted to rock the boat, you know? And no offense, but you guys can be pretty intense sometimes."

No one argued, as the waitress placed their food and drinks on the table, and soon they were too engrossed with their food to enjoy much conversation.

"Spence, have you heard anything about Toby?" Aria asked.

"Yesterday they took him off the suicide watch," Spencer said, averting her eyes from the group as she stared down at her near empty plate.

"Are you going to go see him?" Hanna asked.

"Tomorrow. With my Mom. She arranged for us to be in this conference room, instead of talking to him through the glass."

Aria nodded. "That's an improvement, right?"

"I guess."

Having to travel to the county jail to visit her boyfriend, was something that Spencer was sure she would never be able to get over, or that she had to walk through a metal detector and wear a visitors badge. It was disturbing, and it was heartbreaking to watch someone she loved, be cuffed and shackled like a common criminal.

"If you want, we'll go with you for moral support," Aria assured her.

"I know. It's okay, though."

* * *

Walking into the Rosewood County Jail with her mother, Spencer tried to ignore the ugly feeling of nostalgia the visit presented to her, especially considering it had only been a month or two since he had first been arrested.

Swallowing back the unexpected influx of tears, Spencer watched as her mother signed them in, and accepted the visitors pass her mother handed to her to stick on the front of her shirt.

When the time came for the actual visit, Spencer and her mother silently followed a stern-faced guard down a series of cut-up hallways to a marked conference room door, that required a special electronic card to be allowed access.

"Wait here," the guard instructed, before closing the door with a quiet _snap_.

"These rooms must feel like a second home to you," Spencer remarked, as she walked the length of the small, enclosed space.

"I suppose so."

They were interrupted when the door again opened. The same guard reappeared, this time leading Toby in. He was again dressed in the hideous orange jumpsuit, and cuffed in front with a waist chain.

"I'll be outside," the guard warned, before stepping behind a glass partition that allowed him to observe what was going on in the room.

Spencer watched as Toby took a seat at the one metal table, in one of three chairs that had been set up for the meeting.

"Hey," she said, speaking first, as she took a seat across from him. "Stupid question, but how have you been, Tobes?"

He winced, and that broke her heart. "It's been okay," he admitted. "They had me under near constant watch. They were afraid I would do something to myself after the verdict."

Spencer shook her head, her eyes unwillingly looking at the cuffs as he rested his hands on the table. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice cracking on the last word.

"Ignore the cuffs, baby," he said softly, as he laid his hands on his lap and out of her view.

"Your sentencing is in three weeks?" She asked, trying to search around for a different change of subject.

"No. I cut a deal with the DA."

"You...did?"

It was the first that Spencer had heard about a deal, and she had seen her mother every day since the verdict. Her mother stared calmly back at her, clearly knowing something that Spencer didn't.

"The prosecution wanted a three year prison term," her mother explained, turning in her chair to face her daughter, one hand laying on top of her daughter's. "But they were willing to compromise and gave him a one year sentence, and the other two spent on probation."

Spencer couldn't help it when her mouth popped open in stunned shock. It was bad enough imagining in him that situation for a few days, but to have him be stuck in that hell hole for a year, was intolerable to her.

"Is that the best deal you could get?" she asked, surprised at how weakened her voice sounded as she impulsively reached her hand across the table to grasp his.

She was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door, as the guard looked in, shaking his head at her. Regretfully, she withdrew her hands and laid them back on her lap.

"So what have you been doing?" Toby asked, avoiding her question, as she searched around for a safer change of subject.

"I talked to Paige, and she, myself and Aria and Hanna are going to plan this surprise party for Emily this weekend."

For the first time since they saw each other, he smiled. "That sounds excellent."

"Emily wanted you there," Spencer said softly.

"I _want _to be there, baby, more than anything."

Spencer's face screwed up as she tried to hold in her tears. She thought she had exercised all of her water ducts, but her body clearly had other plans.

"Spence?"

"I'm fine," she insisted. "Have you ever thought what life would be like if we hadn't been at the lodge that night?"

"All the time," he mused. "Mrs. Hastings," he added, looking at her. "Can the jail restrict what people visit you?"

"Yes. There's a list that you can make and they'll honor your wishes, as far as accepted visitors go."

"I need you to get me that form."

"Sure."

Spencer looked at him, her eyebrow all but disappearing into her head. "Why?"

"I don't want Jenna, Mona or my parents seeing me."

"Not even your parents?"

Toby shook his head. "You two, the other girls, those are the only people I want to see."

Veronica nodded. "I'll see what I can do."

"Can you be released early?"

"There's a chance I can get released early due to overcrowding, or if they let me go because of good behavior."

"In time for graduation and my birthday?"

Toby looked down, before meeting her eyes again. "It's doubtful, Spence. But I'll do everything I can to make sure they won't have a reason _not _to let me go."

"I love you."

"I love you too, Spence."


	25. Chapter 25

It wasn't easy getting used to being in custody. It was more than being confined to a six by eight foot cell for the majority of the day. It was the loss of freedom, it was the loss of making even the simplest of decisions for himself, it was all controlled now by the jail system.

Three square meals a day. Lights out at nine or ten, depending on if it was the week or weekend. It was being cut off from seeing his friends and family when he wanted, now he was reduced to a cold and impersonal conference room, cuffed of course.

The one liberty he had been granted, was the option of restricting which people were allowed to see him. He took advantage of that immediately: Jenna, her gal pal, Shana, his parents, and Mona, were all on the 'no visitors' list that he had filled out.

He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised, when, after the lunch hour, the guards had announced he had a visitor. When they told him it was Emily, he relaxed the otherwise tense posture he had while they cuffed him.

He hadn't seen Emily since the verdict, when he had glimpsed her in the courtroom, comforting a devastated Spencer as she sobbed.

When the door leading to the conference room had been opened, Toby had a seconds reprieve before he locked eyes with the person that was waiting for him, and it wasn't Emily.

"Jenna?"

"Hi, Toby," she smiled.

Before he could request that he be denied the visit, the guard had left the room and positioned himself behind the glass wall to watch.

With a deep sigh, he seated himself in the chair facing Jenna and laid his hands out in front of him. "What do you want? How did you even get _in_ here?"

"I have my ways," she offered simply. "I'm _worried _about you."

Toby snorted in amusement. "Worried? That's rich."

"What do you mean?"

"You're not capable of worry, Jenna. Not toward me, at least."

"Mom and Dad wanted to know how you were."

"First of all, your mother is _not _my mother," Toby snarled. "And second, they want to know how I am? I'm in a cell for twenty-three hours out of the day, how do you think?"

Jenna sighed. "Regardless of what you think, Toby, I _do_ love you."

"And I'm pretty sure in most states, your "love" would be called rape."

For the first time, she looked truly angered as she restrained herself with an obvious effort. "Whether you like it or not, we _are_ family."

"Fine. We are. But I don't want anything to do with any of you. If my Dad and your Mom want to talk to me, wait until I get out. I can't deal with that stress while I'm still here. If you care about me at all, you will respect my wishes, Jenna, and you will tell them the same thing. I am barely getting through this."

"I can't see you, but Spencer can?" She challenged, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't talk about her," Toby shook his head. "Spencer, her friends, they're more family than you will ever be. Now go."

Jenna sighed, lowering her head. "My operation failed. I'm losing my sight again."

It was obvious she was searching for sympathy, and while he _did _feel sorry for her, that didn't change anything as far as her seeing him, or their parents.

"I'm sorry, really, but it doesn't change anything."

"Okay. Will you meet with them after you get released?"

"I'll think about it."

"Okay."

Much to his relief, she left soon after that. On the other side of the fortune, he was escorted back to his cell, but at least he didn't have to stare into Jenna's hateful face anymore.

When he looked at the small desk he had been provided, he saw a crisp and clear white envelope waiting for him, addressed with his name and cell block number on it.

Hoping that, for once, he was getting a piece of good news, he didn't waste any time in ripping open the envelope and peering at the short letter he had been left.

_Heads up, Toby. My purgatory was a cakewalk compared to what my hell is going to be like. Chain up and enjoy the ride while you can-A_

Toby gritted his teeth in frustration, as he tore the letter up and stuffed it back in the envelope, before pulling out a small box from under his cot, that was full of the items the jail had given him from his commissary account.

Spencer had faithfully deposited money into the account, so he could buy comfort items while he was there. He settled on a large chocolate bar as he bit into it gratefully.

The day before, he had been subjected to an embarrassing strip search after one of the inmates had been caught with illegal contraband, and the jail had wanted to insure that none of the other inmates were in on the act.

It hadn't been one of his best weeks, even though he hadn't gotten into any trouble with the search. Jenna's visit and the A letter was the last in a very long line of straws.

Nowadays, the only light he had to look foreword to, were the three times a week visits Spencer stopped by for. She was diligent in her visits to him. Sometimes she brought Aria or Emily, but for the most part, she came alone.

* * *

After finishing final preparations for Emily's birthday, and being introduced to Aria's boyfriend, Jake, Spencer made her thrice a week trip to the Rosewood County Jail to visit with Toby. After depositing thirty bucks into his commissary account, a deputy led her back to the conference room for their visit.

Toby was paler than the last time she had seen him. "Did you talk to your mother about the visitation card?"

"Yeah," Spencer nodded. "I dropped it off the last time I visited here, why?"

"Jenna dropped by today."

"Why?"

Toby shrugged. "To guilt me into letting Anne and my Dad visit. I told her no."

"Good."

"I also got a letter."

"From who?"

"A."

Spencer shook her head, wanting more than anything to reach across the table and grasp his hand in hers, but she knew that wouldn't be allowed, and it angered her.

"What did it say?"

"How their purgatory was just a cakewalk compared to the hell I would endure from them."

"What can they do? It's not like they can sneak in and do something, right?"

Toby shook his head. "Not when the jail does once a day inmate counts."

"A sees all," Spencer reminded him. "And I'm _really _getting sick of it."

"I know the feeling."


	26. Chapter 26

The night of Emily's nineteenth birthday dawned, and Spencer found herself in a frenzy to find a suitable dress to wear to the occasion. She had dresses in her closet that she hadn't even worn yet, things that her mother had gotten her for one function or another that she never even attended.

"What are you doing?" Veronica asked, peeking her head in as Spencer threw one dress after another onto her red lounge chair.

"Trying to find something suitable to wear tonight."

Veronica pursed her lips like she usually did when she was in deep thought over a matter, and walked over to her closet, picking through some odds and ends, before selecting a cream and black top and a waist tight tube skirt.

"What do you think?"

Spencer smiled softly as she took the clothes from her mother, disappearing behind the closet door's curtained windows, to change. "I like it."

Reappearing, she allowed her mother to give her a careful hug before stepping back to inspect her handy work. "You look beautiful."

Spencer smiled. "Thank you." It was hard to smile, even though she did. It was hard knowing that she was going to enjoy herself at a party while all Toby got to enjoy was staring at his cell door, and receiving random notes from A.

"Where is the party going to be?"

"Paige's aunt has a lake house. It's going to be at that."

Veronica nodded. "Okay."

"Thank you," Spencer added, as she took a step toward her door. "For everything that you've done to help Toby. I appreciate it, and I know he does, too."

"Of course, honey. I just wish I could have done more to convince the judge."

Spencer nodded, screwing up her face to clear the tears away. "Well, if you can get him out by my birthday, I'll officially love you forever."

"I'll do my best."

Spencer nodded before hitching her purse up on her shoulder, and walked down the stairs, out to the driveway and into her car to pick up Aria and Hanna for the surprise.

Once the girls got in the car, it wasn't as bad as Spencer thought it would be. Even though her brain cruelly reminded her who _wasn't _with them as they drove down the long expanse of highway toward the lake house. Once Hanna delved into a hilarious story involving her mother and a blender, things began to lighten up a bit.

"It took me _forever _to comb that crud out of her hair," Hanna complained, although with a smile on her face as she leaned back against the cool leather seat.

"Next time tell her to twist the lid until it pops," Aria said. "My brother was making one of his grotesque power smoothies and the same thing happened, although it got all over our kitchen."

"Yeah, well, no one ever warns you about the beforehand," Spencer said. "All they advertise is the aftermath."

Hanna shook her head in amusement before leaning between seats and plugging in her Ipod to the radio. Soon, her eclectic taste in music was blaring through the speakers.

"And this crazy!" Hanna sang loudly. "But here's my number, so call me maybe!"

Aria and Spencer exchanged startled glances before choosing to mentally block out Hanna's off key singing, as Spencer smoothly got on the off ramp on the highway.

"We only have another half hour, right?" She asked Aria, as Aria looked up the location on her phone.

"Yup," she affirmed.

"Awesome."

The sky off in the horizon, was showcasing a beautiful purple and pink as it darkened imperceptibly in time for the nighttime bash.

"What's the latest with Toby?" Aria asked carefully, sensing how delicate the subject was to Spencer. She didn't miss how Spencer's knuckles tightened around the steering wheel as the thought struck her mind.

"Good. He's doing better than I am. Jenna somehow got in to see him the other day."

"What does that bitch want with him now?" Hanna asked, looking disgusted.

"He didn't say exactly what they talked about. A got him a letter."

"What did it say?" Aria asked.

"The "purgatory" he went through, wouldn't be anything compared to the hell he would go through."

The three friends drifted off into tense silence as they each thought over the contents of that letter and what it meant for the person the all loved, and how far the enemy would go this time.

* * *

By the time they arrived at the lake house, most of the guests had already arrived and were freely mingling with each other. A couple of high-energy highschool kids from a rival school, harshly bumped into Aria and Spencer, as they rushed off to find their friends.

"Hey, guys!" Paige said, waving them over. "Can one of you help me in the kitchen?"

Something about Paige's appearance wasn't right, and the three of them caught onto it immediately. "Sure," Spencer said, as Aria followed her, while Hanna disappeared into the crowd to mingle.

"Nice kitchen," Aria nodded impressively, as she gazed around at the dark wood bar and counter, and built in light fixtures. "What's going on?"

"Um," Paige nervously wrung her hands as she searched frantically for lighters. "Crap!"

"Hey, hey," Spencer said, looking in the drawer next to Paige and produced the missing lighters. "Here. Maybe I should," she added, as she saw Paige start to shake.

"Paige, what's wrong?" Aria asked, rubbing the top of her arm comfortingly.

"I don't know if Emily and I just broke up or not," she said, finally turning to face them. Her eyeliner smeared on her face as she heaved in a shaking breath.

"You and Emily?" Spencer asked, confusion painted clear on her face as she turned a hesitant glance over to Aria.

"We were talking about colleges and somehow it all got screwed up!"

"Calm down," Aria said. "People fight all the time, and it doesn't mean the end-"

"She said we won't be together by this time next year."

"You guys have been through too much," Spencer counseled. "I doubt it."

"I hope not," Paige shrugged, as she accepted a hug from Aria.

"Well, come on," Aria braced. "Let's get that cake out there."


	27. Chapter 27

_"We won't be together next year." _The words that Emily had spoken to Paige in a moment of desperation and hurt, now were haunting her in the worst possible way, as she sat with her knees tucked under her as she gazed out at the glistening, darkened lake.

"Hey, Em," Spencer said, her heels clicking on the dock as she came to a standstill beside her best friend. "We lit the candles, we're about to start singing."

"I just want to skip the cake."

Spencer's eyebrows knitted together in confusion as she stared down at her friend. "Why?"

"Because. Paige and I had a fight, and now it's all messed up."

"It's not. If anything, _she's _the one who's worried. You shouldn't be."

"It's three thousand miles, Spence. It's not like it's ten miles or even a hundred. It's three _thousand_."

Spencer nodded understandingly as she sank down next to Emily. "True, but if my relationship can survive my boyfriend becoming A to protect me, and now with us being separated again because of another A prank? I think anyone can survive _anything_."

Emily shrugged, as she halfheartedly wiped at a few stray tears. "You and Toby live in the same zip code, even with him being in jail. With Paige, it's more like _several _zip codes difference."

Spencer nodded, as she rubbed her shoulder, earning a grateful look from Emily. "All I'm saying, Em, is that if you want it to work, you'll find a way to make it work."

"There'll be other girls that I'll have to compete with."

"Listen, Em, these issues, they can wait until after tonight. For now, for me, can you please try to push it aside and have a good time? It's been the week from hell for me, and I think all of us just need _one _night to let our hair down. You don't have to make a decision tonight about Paige, either."

Emily smiled, albeit a watery one, as she struggled to her feet. "Thanks, Spence."

"Of course."

When they reentered the cabin, Emily was almost immediately serenaded with a chorus of "Happy Birthday" as Paige wheeled out the cake, which was lit up with nineteen glowing candles.

"Make a wish," Paige said proudly, as she wrapped her arms around her girlfriend.

Emily could only think of one as she held her hair securely in one hand, while she blew out the candles in one big breath that she had clearly mastered from swimming underwater so long.

The room broke out into applause, as Emily beamed. "Emily," Paige said, as she turned on the large screen TV in the room. "Your Mom gave me copies of _all_ these pictures, don't kill me."

Emily groaned as a picture slide show began playing on the large screen. Pictures of her from infancy to childhood flashed before her eyes, before thankfully transitioning into her early and late teen years.

"I love you," Emily mouthed, hoping Paige got the message.

She did. Paige beamed as she mouthed those same words back.

While her swim teammates and friends, enjoyed the snacks and cake, Emily and her friends quietly slipped outside to escape the claustrophobic atmosphere. Outside, the air was cool but warm, as mosquitoes nipped at their exposed skin.

"Where did Spencer go?" Aria asked, as she turned to look at Hanna and Emily, who shrugged their shoulders in response.

"She was inside the last time I saw her," Hanna said. "Maybe she sneaked out before us."

"Did you like the party?" Aria asked, throwing her arm around Emily's muscled shoulders.

"I did," Emily nodded, looking distractedly at the lake in the distance. "What's that...?" The question died on her lips when she realized something the other girls hadn't yet grasped. "Spencer!"

Using all of her speed and strength, she flung herself into the water to reach her friend who was face down in the water. Upon reaching her and gently turning her over, she saw her friend's expressive brown eyes stare up at her, unmoving.

"She's not breathing!" Emily called, as she began towing her friend to the shoreline. Soon, Aria and Hanna reached them as they helped Emily settle her on the sand.

"Call 911!" Aria barked to Hanna, as she watched Emily began doing CPR on Spencer. She could hardly watch as she watched air being pumped into her friend's lungs.

"Tell them to hurry!" Emily pleaded, as she continued her motions to try to revive her friend. "Please, Spencer," Emily whispered. "Don't, not now."

A crowd had gathered on the beach, watching from afar as the three friends tried their hardest to revive the unconscious eighteen-year-old.

By the time an ambulance arrived on the scene, Emily had successfully managed to get Spencer breathing, but she still remained unconscious. Emily, Aria and Hanna clutched each other, not knowing what else to do as they watched their best friend be loaded into the ambulance.

"I'll call her Mom," Aria said shakily, a few moments later as she shakily pulled her cell phone out from her pocket and began dialing.

"Let's meet the ambulance at the hospital," Hanna said, finally tearing her eyes away from the fading lights of the ambulance.

* * *

It hadn't been an easy night for Toby. His parents had clearly ignored his wishes, and had come to the jail. Thankfully and to his relief, the jail turned them away after remembering the card he had filled out.

And then a few short hours later, the jail had let him speak to Veronica on the phone, who had informed him that Spencer had been rushed to the hospital after a near drowning accident.

The hardest part was that he couldn't be at the hospital with the girls and her family. He had to content himself with being allowed periodic updates on her condition. He would have given anything in the world to be allowed to be there to hold her hand, and provide the crucial support the girls and her family needed.

After the lights had been shut out for the night, he forced himself to calm down and lay down on his hard and cold cot. Getting to sleep wasn't an easy feat regularly, but now it was nearly impossible as he tried to block the invading thoughts from his mind.

"Look at you, all worn out and down on life." A voice that he was sure he was dreaming said. When his eyes unwillingly opened, he came face-to-face with the last person he expected or wanted to see.

"Alison?"


	28. Chapter 28

A part of Toby was all but certain he was dreaming, as he gazed at the svelte blond as she lithely paced around the confined space, pausing in her stride to perch on the rickety desk he had been assigned to.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you that staring is rude?" she snidely remarked, as she critically examined her perfectly manicured cuticles.

Toby wasn't in the mood for her games, as he internally debated wether picking her up by her hair and throwing her out, would attract the attention of any passing guards.

"And did _your _mother ever tell _you _that being a psychotic bitch can make you sprout horns and a tail?" _And a red coat, _he thought, wondering for a second if Alison had the power of reading minds, because she raised her eyebrows right when that thought struck his mind.

"Impressive," she said sarcastically. "You finally learned to stand up for yourself."

"You better be careful," he said, directing his gaze up at his newly acquired roommate, who was unconscious on the top bunk.

"Of who? _Him_? He's dreaming of the next hit of pot he's going to take, and chicken."

"Fascinating," he replied dryly.

She rolled her ocean-blue eyes as she lazily paced the length of the tiny cell, before perching herself right on his cot. "You know, I'm surprised. You and Spencer, not a match made from the heavens, that's for sure."

"You don't know anything about us," Toby said, shaking his head defensively. "Or love, for that matter."

"I know plenty."

With a sigh, she got up, before moving the desk aside to reveal faded gray writing on the wall, with the date of the month before she disappeared, written clear on the wall.

"You were here?"

She nodded, smirking. "Drinking. I was with Cece and we got popped. My Mom thought she would teach me a lesson by leaving me in here until my court date."

"You were _here_ in _cell_ cell?"

"Did I speak French?" She snapped, shaking her head in irritation.

"Do the girls know?" He asked, somehow doubting it. The girls had always been held at arms length by her, while they had divulged everything and their brother to her.

"Obviously not," she snarked. "You know, Toby, you weren't my target the night Jenna got hurt."

"Who was?"

"It was her. I was mad that she turned me down at the Halloween party, and I just wanted to scare her. I never meant for her to get hurt."

"Right."

He wasn't sure he entirely believed her, as he searched her face for any sign of deception, but she had probably perfected her facial expressions over the years to hide any of that.

"I panicked, and when I panicked, I did stupid things."

He shook his head, denying the ridiculousness of her statement. "No. Stupid is lying to the cops, what you did crossed the line. I was sent to reform school for a _year_, for something that _you _did."

She chose to ignore the comment. "You're getting colder."

He wasn't in the mood for her mind games. "What do you mean I'm getting _colder_? What the hell does that mean?"

"All the answers that you've been searching for," she replied cryptically. "A."

"Is this your underhanded way of telling me that you're A?"

"I can't reveal the prize while the game is still strong," she said, shaking her head in amusement, as she got up to leave, one hand on the cell door, before she turned back to him. "Tell the girls I said hi."

When Toby's eyes popped open, immediately following the vision, the first thing he did was flip himself off the cot, and over to the desk that, to his horror, had been moved to reveal the writing on the wall.

_What the hell? _He thought, as he ran a tired hand over his face as he lowered himself down on the cot again to endure several more hours of restless sleep.

There was no way he would be able to lure himself back to sleep, not when thoughts of Spencer and her condition assaulted his mind. He wished more than anything that he was there, that he would be providing her family with support, not to mention the girls who had had to see her like that.

* * *

Her mind and senses were as murky as the water her lungs had inhaled, as Spencer floated on the edge of consciousness unconsciousness. Voices, she could hear dim voices in the background, speaking and then disappearing altogether. Although her body was greatly weakened, her mind was still just as sharp as it had been, and it was frustrated at her body's lack of response to the signals it was giving her.

She could feel the urge to wake up, could feel it vibrating in her bones, but her body was holding out, refusing her that luxury as she could feel herself being moved from the sandy wet shore, to the stiff stretcher, and then the strangest sensation of all, as paramedics forced her mouth open, placed a hard object on her tongue, and then the worst sensation of all: a thin tube that was being slid down her throat.

Even though she rebelled at the foreign invasion, just like her body, her gag reflexes had been cut off. The only thing remaining strong, was her mind.

After the intubation tube had been inserted, she could feel blessed relief as oxygen was pumped into her lungs.

In a way, it was nice. The past several years, her life had been one hell after another. Alison, A, Toby and now this. The attack had happened from behind, she hadn't seen anything except a flash of blond hair.

That was it. Her assailant obviously had wanted to remain on the side of anonymity, and had partially succeeded.

"...We won't know the extent of the damage until she wakes up. _If _she wakes up," her doctor warned.

Someone, probably her mother, gave a strangled sob as she coughed. "Do anything you need to get her back, but don't let her suffer. Please."

"Of course not," the doctor reassured her. "So far, the brain exams we've done on her, show activity. That's crucial, but we're not out of the woods yet."

"Okay."


	29. Chapter 29

In a way, it was nice. Having the fight taken out of her. The past two years since Ali disappeared, her life had been one big horror show, it was nice having no choice in the matter. Somehow, somewhere, the fates decided to give her a break, even though it came in the form of a near drowning accident, and A.

"...The girls have been harassed before," a voice, her mother's said. She could hear her heels clicking against the floor of the hospital room.

"By _who_?" A voice she recognized as her father's said.

"I don't know, but they flinch every time their phones go off. I've seen it, Peter," she hissed, trying to keep her voice down, as if she thought she wake her up if she spoke too loud.

"Have you gone to the police?"

"There isn't enough evidence to convince a judge," Veronica sighed, slipping back into familiar territory as a lawyer.

Spencer wished she could turn the part of her brain off that controlled sound. It would be much easier to enjoy this peaceful oblivion if she wasn't aware of the people and things around her.

Sleep was also something that came easier to her now. It was different than being awake and falling asleep. Her subconscious mind automatically seemed to know when it was time for sleep, and transitioned her into it naturally.

The first solid indicator she had that she was asleep, was that she was in the loft. A place that she had consciously avoided since Toby's incarceration. It was the living room, a place they spent most of their time in other than the bedroom.

Every surface was hard to the touch, the room even had a slight breeze to it. It was the realist sensation she had had, even in her waking hours.

"Spencer."

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Toby. A pair of gym shorts around his waist, his chest bare, still glistening from the recent shower he had taken.

"T-Toby?"

"Is something wrong?"

The laugh that escaped her lips, was purely of its own accord, as she shook her head. "Not now, no."

He smiled peacefully, opening his arms to her, an invitation that he had extended countless times to her over the course of their relationship. She didn't need telling twice as she met his warm embrace.

Even though it was a dream, she could still smell his cologne, could still smell the shampoo he favored, and could feel his strong arms encircling her, and could feel his warm body against hers.

"I miss you," she found herself saying, even though she wasn't consciously aware that people _could _talk in dreams.

"I miss you too, baby," he whispered, running his hand through her hair.

"It was Ali that pushed me," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck, as she buried her head under his chin.

"She was always playing with you guys, wasn't she?" Toby asked soothingly.

"We were nothing but her puppets."

"Why were you friends with someone like that?"

It was one of the endearing mysteries about Spencer that he had never been able to figure out, why she would be friends with a cruel and unfeeling person like Alison DeLaurentis.

"She could make you feel special," Spencer said. "Like, we were part of something really neat."

"You have to go back there, you know," he gently reminder her, tilting her chin up so their eyes could meet. "You have to wake up so the doctors can fix what's wrong."

She shook her head childishly. "'I've fought for too long. I'm done, Toby."

"Baby, I know, but it won't be long before I can come home, and I need you to be there to welcome me back."

"How do you know?"

"Overcrowding, Spence, they were talking about it, but it's not definite yet."

"I love you," she whispered, pressing a kiss to his lips.

"I love you, too."

The dream ended, and she was back in the perpetual state of unconsciousness that she had been in before, only this time she felt that she had control over her eyes, and whether or not she could open them.

She could hear voices, her friends. "Spencer?" Aria said. "Come on, please wake up."

And she did. One eye first, then the other, as she stared at Aria and Hanna as their faces melted in relief.

"You scared us," Aria breathed, shaking her head.

"Did you know you talk in your sleep?" Hanna asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hanna!" Aria hissed.

"What? I'm just saying..."

"Hanna, go get her Mom," Aria said, cutting her off.

"Fine," Hanna grumbled, as she walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

"It was Ali," Spencer whispered, her throat burning with pain, as she swallowed the ice cubes Aria gave to her.

"Who pushed you?"

Spencer nodded. "I saw her face before I passed out."

They didn't have time to discuss it much more, because her mother came in, followed by Hanna. Her mother smiled softly, before leaning foreword to give her youngest child a careful hug.

"You had your father and me so worried," she whispered.

"I'm okay, right?"

"You sustained some damage to your lungs, but it can be fixed."

"Okay."

Veronica pulled a chair up close to the bed and took Spencer's slender hand in hers. "Your father and I talked, and we're going to let you have the guest house."

"You are?" Spencer whispered, her eyes widening incredulously, as she raised her hand, which had an IV stuck in it, and wiped her eyes.

"It's time," Veronica nodded.

* * *

Veronica kept her word, when Spencer was released from the hospital after a week of intense therapy and treatments for her lungs, her father moved her bed into the guest house, replacing Melissa's things with hers, as her mother lugged all of her clothes and computer to the new space.

"Do you like it?" Veronica asked.

"Yes," Spencer nodded, taking in the open space that she had remodeled the summer after Ali had disappeared. "How did Melissa take the news?"

"Not good, but your father took care of it," Veronica assured her. "You deserve this."

"Thank you," Spencer smiled.


	30. Chapter 30

"So do you like it?" Aria asked, as she settled herself cross-legged on Spencer's bed in the barn turned guesthouse. It was different to be visiting Spencer in the privacy of her own little house, compared to the constant hustle and bustle of the Hastings manor.

"I do, actually," Spencer replied, as she passed out bowls of unbuttered, salted popcorn. "My Mom keeps insisting on checking in on me, but it's nice that I can have my own space."

There was no need to mention that the move had been two years in the making, she was just glad that her parents had finally seen sense and had allowed her to transition there.

"How did Melissa take it?" Hanna asked, as she stretched out on the wrap-around couch that Spencer had gotten cheap from a garage sale.

"Not good," Spencer winced, "but my parents, shockingly enough, held firm."

"Good," Hanna scoffed. "About time."

Emily shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she munched on her popcorn. The entire time she had been silent about what Spencer had revealed in the hospital, but now she knew that they couldn't escape that conversation forever.

"Listen, Spencer," Emily began. "What you said in the hospital about Ali being the one who pushed you. Is that really what happened?"

Spencer nodded quietly. "That's what I saw."

"But, really, could it have been a mask that A was wearing?" Emily asked, trying to appeal to the logical side of her friend. "Isn't that what A's been doing all year?"

"Yeah, but how do you explain that when I was about to go under the water, I was clawing at thin air, and I accidentally clawed her _face_? It wasn't a mask I touched, it was skin."

"So what are we saying?" Aria asked, her voice weak, as she looked at her three best friends. "That Ali really _is _alive and has been pulling the A shots? Trying to _hurt _us?"

"I guess," Spencer said helplessly. "She wasn't exactly hesitating when she knocked me on the head and dragged me into the water."

"So does that mean that she faked everything?" Hanna asked. "The body, the funeral, it was all for show?"

"Possibly," Spencer said, wrapping her arms around her knees and laying her head on them. "She and Cece must be partners in this or something."

The fact that Jenna and Shana were afraid of someone, wasn't lost on Spencer, and that their main culprits just happened to be the two girls that had secretly formed a friendship that went completely under the radar by the other girls.

"And look at the text I got," Spencer added, as she handed her phone off to Aria. "I got it this morning as I was getting dressed."

"Payback is a bitch, isn't it?" Aria said, reading from the text. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, I'll watch as your snarky mouth fills with water. Remember, you're my puppet, Spencer."

"The night she disappeared, she said that we all were her puppets. That text, it can't have been a coincidence."

Emily shook her head, her beautiful eyes involuntarily filling with tears at the morbid discussion of her best friend. They had always called Emily "Alison's Pitbull" for a reason.

"The Alison I know would _never _do anything to hurt any one of us," Emily defended, her voice breaking with the frustration and pain that she felt, and at the knowledge that maybe she didn't know her best friend as well as she thought she did.

"Em, I know," Spencer said, rubbing her arm comfortingly, "but right now, things are piling up against her that look _really _bad. If she _is _A, what are you going to say then?"

"I don't know," Emily whispered.

The conversation ended soon after that. Talk was still tense, but the Alison subject had been firmly put in the corner until further notice.

"Have you seen Toby yet?" Aria asked.

Spencer shook her head slowly. It had been one of the things that she had been striving for since her hospital release, but her mother had held back on letting her until she was sure that Spencer was one hundred percent sound.

"I keep asking my Mom, but she said probably at the end of this week I can start going again."

"Why so long?"

"She wants to make sure that I'm all better."

* * *

Finally the day dawned that Veronica agreed that Spencer was physically as well as mentally better enough to make the trip to the county jail to see Toby.

It had been a long time coming. It had been more than a week since Spencer had seen him, and she couldn't get into the jail fast enough to see him. When the guards had finally guided him into their meeting room, she felt like her heart might combust from the avalanche of emotion that was assaulting her.

"Hey, stranger," Spencer teased.

"Hey, baby," he whispered. "How are you?" His soft blue eyes leveled in concern as he regarded her.

"I'm okay," she said, rushing to reassure him, as she nodded. "My lungs are on the mend, and everything else checks out."

Toby shook his head in disbelief, wishing more than anything that, for once, they would be allowed to hold hands, even for a second. It was one of those rules that he couldn't get used to no matter how long he would be there.

"Who did it? Did you figure it out?"

"It was Ali."

"She did that to you?"

Spencer nodded, shaking her head, trying to ward off the tears of disbelief that were pooling in the corners of her eyes. "She did it."

"How do you know?"

"I saw her. Right before I went under, I clawed at her face and it was skin. It wasn't a mask, it was really her."

Toby was silent as he absorbed her latest bombshell, as well as the bombshell of his own that he was about to drop. "She visited me."

"When?"

"Right before she tried to kill you. She told me that we were getting colder toward finding A."

"It's because _she's _A," Spencer argued. "Colder, that's probably some sick metaphor for the water or something."

"Your Mom came to see me yesterday," Toby said, speaking quietly, as he, with difficulty, scratched a spot on his neck. "The jail is overcrowding, and they always release the none-violent offenders first."

"So that means-"

"I'm on a short list along with some other people. Your Mom is making a special pleading to the court for me to be the one who gets to go first."

Spencer couldn't help the smile that lit up her face at hearing that glorious piece of news. "That's great!"

"Hopefully it goes through and I'll be ou of here in the next few weeks."

"I hope so, too."


	31. Chapter 31

Having the choice of whether or not she joined her family for breakfast, was a blessing for Spencer, who was used to feeling almost claustrophobic when she was around her all-intense family.

Now, she had the option of whether or not she stayed when she brought her laundry in, or if she wanted to retreat to the privacy of her own guesthouse. It was a strange feeling, being allowed the luxury of living on her own, even though she was still on the premise of the home she had grown up in.

"Toby's going to love this place," Hanna said without thinking, one afternoon, as the girls lounged around her spacious bedroom. It was the first time the girls had had the time to lounge around with her.

Spencer looked down, breathing in deeply, before looking back up, all pretenses of distress gone, as she smoothed her hair down with a forcible sigh.

"I'm sorry, Spence," Hanna said quietly. "I should put my heel in my mouth."

"No, it's fine," Spencer assured her with a smile. "My Mom is actually at the courthouse with the judge right now, trying to get his early released papers signed."

"So is he _actually _getting out? For sure?" Aria asked.

"No, she has to talk with the judge first. Probably if he does, there will be a ton of conditions with it, but at least he'll be out."

The past month or so since his conviction, had been some of the hardest weeks for Spencer to deal with, as she tried to find normalcy in visiting her boyfriend in jail.

Emily nodded, brushing a strand of dark, silky hair behind her hear. "That's good. Maybe A will finally think they've tortured him enough?"

Spencer shook her head in dark amusement. "I doubt it."

After all, when had A _ever _allowed someone sanctuary without giving them something back in return? It was a dark, twisted game that the players had no idea when it would end.

"What does he think about release?" Emily asked.

Spencer shrugged. "He's trying not to his hopes up."

Aria nodded understandingly as she hung up some of Spencer's clothes in her closet. "Well, it would be perfect because then we could all go to that dance."

"That country themed one?"

"Yeah."

Spencer nodded, even though dances had never really been her idea of fun. "Yeah, sure, if by some miracle, he actually gets out."

"But isn't he up for early release?"

"Yeah, but it depends on if the judge considers what he apparently did, a violent crime. If the law defines that, it probably won't happen."

"Ugh," Hanna said, shaking her head, as she pulled on her knee-high boots. "Remind me to never get into law school."

"I thought you wanted to be like Elle Woods," Aria said.

"I _did _but my brain can't think that fast."

"Well, luckily mine can," Spencer said.

Even though she had time before she had to apply to colleges, thanks to the extension her parents had gotten her, she still had jumped the gun and had greenlighted several alternate colleges, in place of UPENN.

"Are you still going to law school?" Emily asked, as she chose a dark purple nail polish.

"I don't know, maybe."

"Wow," Emily said, looking impressed. "Something Spencer Hastings isn't sure of?"

"Okay, shut up!" Spencer laughed. "It's not that big of a shock."

They were interrupted by a sharp knock on the door, before it opened and her mother walked in, still in her work clothes, briefcase in hand.

"Hi, girls," she said, as she settled herself on the couch next to Spencer. "Spence, I just came from the courthouse."

"And? What happened?"

"Judge Alexander said that Toby _does _meet the early release criteria. It's based off of the law that defines arson, and that he's been behaving the way he should while he's been in custody."

"So he gets to come home?"

"Tonight. There are still some papers that have to be signed, but tonight it should be finalized."

Spencer felt numb, but it wasn't the kind that made her want to curl up into a ball and die. It was the kind of numb that she had been wanting since the conviction.

"Thank you," she whispered, as she wrapped herself around her mother.

"Oh, honey, of course."

* * *

**Sorry this chapter was so short AND so delayed. Hopefully tonight or tomorrow, I can upload again:)**


	32. Chapter 32

The night of the dance dawned faster than Spencer realized, as she found herself in Hanna's bedroom, racing to find the perfect Midwestern outfit on short notice.

"Here's an old checkered shirt I have," Hanna supplied. "And some _really _short shorts."

"Thanks," Spencer smiled gratefully, as she stripped off her simple black cami and jeans, and donned the new outfit. "Surprise, it fits."

"I knew it would," Hanna winked, smiling. "And no country outfit would be complete without this," she added, handing Spencer a white cowboy hat.

"Giddy up," Spencer laughed, imitating a fake country accent as she twirled around in her new hat and costume. "When did you get all this?"

"I've had it for a couple years, ever since my Dad enrolled me in this ridiculous country princess camp."

Spencer rolled her eyes. "They actually have that?"

"Yeah, it was torture."

Spencer smiled, before dragging her makeup bag over to Hanna's bed, before lounging on it herself. "Do you need to borrow any of mine?"

"Maybe some lip gloss," Hanna replied.

"Where's Emily and Aria?"

The four of them were supposed to have been getting ready together, but so far only Hanna had been there to help Spencer get ready.

"Uh, they're going to be here pretty soon," Hanna assured her, avoiding her gaze as she got together clothes and a towel for a quick shower.

"Are we still getting ready together?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"O...kay," Spencer began slowly, as she leafed through her phone messages. "When did they say they would be here?"

"Soon," Hanna said quickly.

"Okay."

Something didn't seem right. Hanna had always been a bad liar, and now that was even more obvious when it was clear she was hiding something from Spencer. To distract herself from further inquiring about it, Spencer checked her outfit in the mirror, and smiled, satisfied with how it all looked.

"I'll be right back," Hanna said, moving toward her bedroom door. "I think they're here."

"I can't come down?"

"We'll be up in a second. I promise. Don't go anywhere."

_Where else would I go? _Spencer thought, as she leaned against the wall, making herself comfortable.

If she strained her ears, she could hear voices, but she couldn't make out who they belonged to, or what they were saying. It was frustrating, and she was sorely tempted to go down there, but she stayed locked in place.

"Okay, Spencer," Hanna said with a sly smile. "I have a question: What is a sexy cowgirl _without _her-"

"Toby?" Spencer breathed, as Toby stepped around Hanna. "I can't-I don't believe this."

Even though she knew he had been released or was _going _to be, she hadn't expected her friends to surprise her like they did, as he met her frozen frame halfway and wrapped her in his embrace.

"I'm here, Spence," he whispered softly. "I'm here," he repeated, stroking her hair.

"In time, too," she remembered. "For my birthday and graduation."

"I couldn't think of any better place to be."

"Okay, guys, are we going to go?" Hanna demanded, clearly over their reunion as she and the other girls moved toward the door.

"She's a little impatient," Spencer surmised, shaking her head in amusement.

"You don't say," Toby remarked dryly, as they followed her friends out to the door and to their respective cars.

* * *

The school had been completely transformed from a regular, boring highschool to a tricked out midwestern affair. Bales of hay replaced benches and chairs, and the regular pop and rock music, was now firmly country, as the couples mingled and danced.

"Wow," Emily said, impressed. "Looks great."

"Is Paige here?" Toby asked, looking at Emily, his arm wrapped around Spencer's shoulders.

"I don't know. She and I, we're kind of on the outs right now."

"Em, I'm sorry," Toby said sincerely.

"Whatever. It's fine," she said, forcing a smile on her face for the sake of her friends."Let's dance or something."

"Yeah, guys," Aria said, coming up beside them. "They didn't call this a dance for no reason."

Spencer and Toby exchanged glances, before both collectively nodding, as they linked hands and walked out onto the makeshift dance floor.

"Wow, Mr. Cavanaugh," Spencer said, impressed, as Toby gently led her in a slow dance. "I have to say, you are quite the dancer."

"And _you _are quite the dance partner," Toby said, wincing slightly as Spencer accidentally stepped on his toes. "I don't think my feet would agree, though."

"Oops. Sorry," she apologized, ducking her head.

"Spence," he said, tilting her chin up with his finger. "How have things been?"

"Not good," she admitted, "but better now."

"As long as I comply with the terms of my release and probation, I won't ever have to worry about being in that place again."

"For real?"

"For real," he affirmed.

"I love you."

"I love you, too," he whispered.

* * *

**Last chapter-But a sequel will be up shortly!**


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